Chapter 310
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 310
Chapter Title: Success? Failure? The Palace on the Summit
The worldly essence descended like a celestial river, pouring into the cultivator's body. The terrifying pressure generated by the vast worldly essence spread outwards in ripples.
Some of the closer cultivators were all forced back twenty miles by this pressure.
Although Chen Jianghe was thirty miles away, he could still feel the imposing aura of the condensed worldly essence.
Before a cultivator refines it, worldly essence contains the might of heaven and earth, which is not something a cultivator can withstand.
With such a monumental infusion of worldly essence, even someone who had perfected the sixth level of a body tempering art would have their physical body instantly collapse and perish.
"Something's wrong, something's wrong!"
Chen Jianghe saw that the galactic river of worldly essence pouring into the cultivator didn't cause their body to explode and perish.
Instead, they had entered the stage of refining the worldly essence.
This made Chen Jianghe feel that something was amiss.
Perfecting the sixth level of a body tempering art was definitely not the same as achieving a perfected physical body at the Foundation Establishment realm. Otherwise, how could one withstand the infusion of worldly essence?
For this kind of promotion that tempered the physical body, with his current state of having perfected the sixth level of his body tempering art, he would directly explode and die.
"It seems Core Formation isn't as simple as I imagined."
Chen Jianghe was confident he could reach perfected Foundation Establishment within ten years. For him, Core Formation was not far off.
He had to figure out the secrets of Core Formation.
"Being a rogue cultivator is too difficult. If I hadn't witnessed this fellow Daoist's Core Formation, I probably would have thought that reaching perfected Foundation Establishment was enough to attempt it. At that time, I wouldn't even know how I died."
Chen Jianghe shook his head helplessly. This was the life of a rogue cultivator without a deep foundation; they had to fumble their way through everything on their own.
The secret arts of Core Formation also required a fortuitous opportunity to obtain.
"The essence tempering only took twelve hours. This fellow Daoist's physical body is truly powerful. I wonder what kind of worldly spiritual item they used to temper their body to perfection."
"Essence tempering is only the first of the five trials of Core Formation. If they can pass the next four, only then can they condense an inner core."
"That may be so, but with such a strong physical body, this fellow Daoist's chances of forming a core must be extremely high."
"Demonic beasts are coming!"
"Not good! These demonic beasts want to disrupt the Core Formation phenomenon and ruin this fellow Daoist's chance!"
Just then.
Two perfected second-tier demonic beasts roared and charged toward the mountain peak where the worldly essence was pouring down.
Boom!
Flying swords crisscrossed and spells flared to life.
Three perfected Foundation Establishment cultivators flew out from the mountain, clearly acting as guardians for the cultivator who was breaking through.
Roar!
Immediately after, another spirit beast flew out. It had a perfected second-tier cultivation, likely the spirit beast of the person breaking through.
It joined the three perfected Foundation Establishment cultivators and engaged the two perfected second-tier demonic beasts in battle.
Suddenly, three more perfected second-tier vicious birds attacked. Among them was a Black Flame Crow, which let out a long cry, its body wreathed in flames as it charged toward the mountain's interior.
Rummmble!
"Vile beast, you court death!"
A handsome and spirited young cultivator blocked the Black Flame Crow with his sword, simultaneously taking out a top-grade second-tier puppet and another perfected second-tier spirit beast.
He intercepted the three attacking perfected second-tier vicious birds, protecting the cultivator forming their core within the mountain.
"The prodigy of the Ji Clan, Ji Yanhao!"
Upon seeing this handsome young man, many cultivators on the mountain where Chen Jianghe stood cried out in surprise.
"Who on earth is forming their core? To have a prodigy of the Ji Clan personally stand guard."
"A top-grade second-tier puppet, a perfected second-tier spirit beast, and the flying sword in his hand is an embryonic magic treasure... truly worthy of being a Ji Clan prodigy. His foundation is far too profound."
At this moment, Chen Jianghe heard the discussions of the surrounding cultivators. His gaze sharpened as he looked at Ji Yanhao, who was battling the Black Flame Crow.
His strength was indeed formidable.
He forced the Black Flame Crow back with two consecutive powerful spells, followed by a sword art that sliced off three of its fire feathers.
"This should be the prodigies of the three great immortal clans helping each other with Core Formation. If I'm not mistaken, there's another prodigy hidden in that great mountain, acting as a guardian."
Ruan Tieniu said.
"Fellow Daoist Ruan is right. It should be a mutual assistance Core Formation."
Gao Peiyao nodded, agreeing with Ruan Tieniu's assessment.
Forming a core in this secret realm was fraught with danger. Not only was there no spiritual energy to absorb, but one also had to face attacks from demonic beasts.
As for other cultivators.
They usually wouldn't attack someone in the middle of Core Formation, unless there was a deep-seated blood feud.
"If it is a mutual assistance Core Formation, then the person forming their core right now is either Lu Qingfeng or Chen Chengyang."
Chen Jianghe also felt it was a mutual assistance Core Formation. With one prodigy forming their core and the other two standing guard, it would be much safer.
Adding the three perfected Foundation Establishment cultivators, as long as no third-tier demonic beast appeared, the person forming their core could break through with peace of mind.
Another five hours passed.
The pressure from the worldly essence dissipated, and the five-colored glow receded into the mountain. This meant they had passed the second trial, the Mana Trial.
Next was the sublimation of the soul essence.
As long as they could pass this trial, they would be halfway to success.
Even if they failed later, they would still have the chance to switch to cultivating a False Core.
Another ten hours passed. A powerful soul pressure swept across a five-mile radius, then expanded to a thousand zhang.
"The third trial is passed! This is the pressure of a divine soul after its sublimation. The prodigies of the top immortal clans truly have a profound foundation to pass the Soul Trial so easily."
"The initial formation of a divine soul is the symbol of a Core Formation mighty one. From now on, the soul transforms into a divine soul, and one's spiritual sense gains powerful offensive capabilities."
"I hope this fellow Daoist succeeds in forming their core. Although the fourth-tier spiritual item on that thousand-zhang peak is beyond my reach, it would be a great blessing just to witness it."
"I, Yan, also hope this fellow Daoist succeeds. But of the five trials of Core Formation, the first three are the easiest. The last two are the most difficult."
"Indeed. The Dao Heart Trial alone has caused countless perfected Foundation Establishment Daoists to switch to cultivating a False Core."
Listening to their fervent discussions, Chen Jianghe couldn't help but look toward the Core Formation phenomenon in the outer mountain range.
The vast sea of clouds had vanished, and the five-colored glow had also dissipated.
Even the thousand-zhang-wide spiritual energy vortex was gone. He didn't know if it was a success or a failure.
If it was Lady Jinghong breaking through.
Did she have anyone guarding her?
If no one was guarding her, those second-tier demonic beasts would surely not miss such a prime opportunity.
Obtaining blood-food was not easy, especially high-quality blood-food, which was even more difficult.
Then, Chen Jianghe thought of something: did Lady Jinghong have a spirit beast? If she did.
Breaking through in the outer mountain range should be safe enough.
He figured she must have a spirit beast. An artifact refining grandmaster's resources were incredibly abundant; it would be a waste of such excellent conditions not to raise one.
Another three hours passed.
Bang!
The thousand-zhang spiritual energy vortex on that mountain suddenly collapsed. The dense spiritual energy scattered, forming a shockwave in the air.
This caused many cultivators to show looks of horror.
Chen Jianghe was also stunned for a moment, not knowing what had happened. He looked questioningly at the person beside him.
"With such an unsteady Dao heart, they still dared to attempt Core Formation. What a waste of such a good accumulated foundation."
Ji Wujin said faintly.
"They failed?"
Chen Jianghe exclaimed in astonishment.
At that moment, a clamor of voices rose from the mountain he was on, all discussing the prodigy's failure in Core Formation.
"This fellow Daoist actually failed?"
"Even a prodigy struggles with the Dao Heart Trial. A hundred years of accumulation, all washed away."
"Such dense fire-attribute spiritual energy... it seems the prodigy attempting Core Formation was Chen Chengyang of the artifact refining immortal Chen Clan."
"I remember that Lu Qingfeng also cultivates a fire-attribute art."
"It's different. The fire-attribute legacy art Lu Qingfeng cultivates is extremely yang and fierce, while the Chen Clan's is much gentler."
Just then.
A spiritual energy vortex condensed once more on the mountain peak. Although it wasn't as vast and dense as before, it was still several hundred zhang wide.
This was the sign that Chen Chengyang, having failed Core Formation, was switching to cultivating a False Core.
Nearly two million spirit stones, only to end up cultivating a False Core. Even a top immortal clan would feel the sting of that loss.
The main issue was that a False Core Rogue had no chance of obtaining the great treasure on the thousand-zhang peak.
"Just a False Core. How boring. Let's go."
Ji Wujin curled his lip and said.
Ruan Tieniu nodded, somewhat agreeing with Ji Wujin. Just a False Core, it was indeed uninteresting.
"Brother Chen, do you want to come with us? The Zhou Clan prodigy will also be attempting Core Formation soon. We can act as his guardians together and even get a quasi third-tier spiritual item for free. That's worth one to two hundred thousand spirit stones."
Ruan Tieniu sent a voice transmission to Chen Jianghe.
"A prodigy's Core Formation... I am merely a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. How could I dare accept a quasi third-tier spiritual item? I won't get involved. Thank you, Brother Ruan."
Chen Jianghe replied via voice transmission.
Receiving Chen Jianghe's reply, Ruan Tieniu didn't insist. He knew Chen Jianghe was not as simple as he appeared.
But based on his understanding of Chen Jianghe, as long as he could avoid danger, he would never put himself in a perilous situation.
"Fellow Daoist Ruan, what did he say?" Ji Wujin asked via voice transmission.
"Brother Chen doesn't want to get involved in the Core Formation matter. There's no need for us to insist."
"This guy is still as cowardly as ever. I can't even give him an opportunity. With me here, what's he afraid of?"
Ji Wujin was speechless in his heart.
He truly regretted choosing Chen Jianghe as his immortal path companion. If he didn't dare to do anything, how could he obtain opportunities?
He couldn't even give him opportunities when he wanted to.
He couldn't just give them away for free; that would violate the clan's rules. Companions were meant to achieve things together, not to be charity cases.
"What's he afraid of? If anything happens, he still has me. I have my baby; a third-tier spirit beast can guarantee our safety in this secret realm."
Ji Wujin thought to himself.
He glanced at Chen Jianghe and left with Ruan Tieniu.
"Master, the aura of the third-tier spirit beast is gone."
Xiao Hei sent a mental transmission.
Chen Jianghe looked in the direction Ji Wujin had left, now absolutely certain in his heart that the third-tier spirit beast was Ji Wujin's white-furred treasure-seeking mouse.
"It seems this guy is even more terrifying than I thought. A third-tier spirit beast, and he probably has quite a few top-grade second-tier puppets on him as well."
"Once all those prodigies have attempted Core Formation, the treasure hunt on the thousand-zhang peak is going to be quite a show."
Chen Jianghe turned to Gao Peiyao and reminded her via voice transmission, "If you run into Ji Wujin and Ruan Tieniu alone, you must run. Don't get entangled with them."
"Thank you for the reminder, Brother Jianghe. I'll take my leave."
Gao Peiyao nodded, then flew away on her sword.
She couldn't possibly go treasure hunting with Chen Jianghe. Otherwise, the goodwill they had established might not last.
After all, with a third-tier spiritual item at stake, who wouldn't be calculating? Who wouldn't be greedy?
Not to mention a Core Formation spiritual item.
To cherish a friendship, one must not test human nature.
However, Gao Peiyao was a little puzzled by Chen Jianghe's warning. Were Ji Wujin and Ruan Tieniu really that terrifying? Enough for Chen Jianghe to warn her repeatedly.
Watching the cultivators fly away one by one, Chen Jianghe also used an escape art to leave.
With Chen Chengyang's Core Formation failing, Ji Yanhao naturally wouldn't continue to tangle with the Black Flame Crow and quickly disengaged.
The three perfected Foundation Establishment cultivators fighting the demonic beasts also swiftly broke off from the battle, following Chen Chengyang—now a False Core Rogue—Ji Yanhao, and Lu Qingfeng as they left.
Just as Ruan Tieniu had guessed, the three of them had formed an alliance and had even invited three perfected Foundation Establishment cultivators to act as guardians.
It was a pity that Chen Chengyang had failed. Otherwise, they would have had a Core Formation mighty one as their guardian.
It would have been much safer when Ji Yanhao and Lu Qingfeng made their own attempts at Core Formation.
An hour later, Chen Jianghe turned back.
After confirming there were no other cultivators' auras, he released Maoqiu and continued to plunder the second-tier middle and low-grade spiritual items on the mountain.
Judging by these perfected Foundation Establishment cultivators who came and left so quickly, they truly looked down on second-tier middle and low-grade spiritual items.
Chen Jianghe, however, did not.
He also wanted Core Formation spiritual items, but that required a fortuitous opportunity. Without one, he could wander around in circles and find nothing.
It was better to find more second-tier middle and low-grade spiritual items. He could exchange them for more spirit stones after leaving.
At the very least, he could break even.
Chen Jianghe had prepared resources worth two million spirit stones to enter the Beast Taming Secret Realm. No matter what, he had to collect second-tier middle and low-grade spiritual items first to cover his costs.
As for spiritual items?
He had already obtained the Firelight Stone and Lightning Stone. Although they were devoured by Xiao Hei, he had still obtained them.
Most importantly, he had obtained the Purple Thunder Sky-Dazzling Flame.
This was far more precious than any Core Formation spiritual item.
Whoosh!!
At this moment, Chen Jianghe noticed the phenomenon in the outer mountain range reappearing, in the exact same location as before.
However, there was no vast sea of clouds, no five-colored glow, and no thousand-zhang spiritual energy vortex.
Instead, there was a seven-colored pillar of light shooting straight into the clouds.
It lasted for about ten breaths before dissipating.
"This is... a successful Core Formation!"
Chen Jianghe's brow lifted in delight. In his view, that Core Formation phenomenon was undoubtedly Lady Jinghong's success.
That seven-colored pillar of light was very similar to the phenomenon of a successful Core Formation described in the *Records of Tiannan*.
"The *Records of Tiannan* states that the phenomenon of a successful Core Formation is usually a three-colored or five-colored pillar of light shooting into the sky. Lady Jinghong's success, however, produced a seven-colored pillar. It seems the quality of the inner core she condensed is extremely high, reaching the level of a True Master."
Chen Jianghe wasn't certain it was Lady Jinghong, but in his heart, he hoped that the successful cultivator was indeed her.
Time flew by.
Seven days passed. Maoqiu had completely plundered all the second-tier middle and low-grade spiritual items on the mountain peak.
It even found five second-tier high-grade spiritual items, which was a considerable gain.
Leaving the mountain, Chen Jianghe traveled upriver, not in a hurry, slowly using his Water Ripple Escape.
As long as the treasure light soaring from the thousand-zhang peak didn't move, he had no need to rush.
Rushing there recklessly would only be serving himself up as a meal for the third-tier demonic beasts.
Only when the Core Formation mighty ones were fighting the third-tier demonic beasts on the thousand-zhang peak would a Foundation Establishment cultivator like him have a chance to fish in troubled waters.
Chen Jianghe possessed a Minor Teleportation Talisman. It would be a huge loss not to seize the opportunity to grab a treasure or two.
Three months passed.
Chen Jianghe had been plundering second-tier middle and low-grade spiritual items all along the way, and had now arrived at a mountain peak less than a hundred miles from the thousand-zhang peak.
The spiritual items on this peak had already been picked clean.
There were also traces of a battle with a perfected second-tier demonic beast.
He estimated there must have been a quasi third-tier spiritual item, or perhaps even a third-tier one.
"The Beast Taming Sect, the Beast Taming Secret Realm... there are so many second-tier demonic beasts here."
After entering the inner mountain range, Chen Jianghe had seen no fewer than thirty perfected second-tier demonic beasts along his journey.
There were nearly a thousand demonic beasts below the perfected second-tier.
Maoqiu had also killed over a dozen middle and late-stage second-tier demonic beasts. After all, if one wanted to treasure hunt in peace, it was impossible without driving away or killing the demonic beasts on the mountains.
He had six late-stage second-tier spirit cores and eleven mid-stage second-tier spirit cores in his possession.
"It's time to look for top-grade second-tier spiritual items and above."
Chen Jianghe stood on the summit, gazing at the distant, cloud-piercing thousand-zhang peak, and muttered to himself.
Four of his storage bags were already filled with second-tier middle and low-grade spiritual items.
He had 436 second-tier middle-grade spiritual items and 921 second-tier low-grade spiritual items.
As for the ninety-six second-tier high-grade spiritual items, he had used a separate storage bag just for them.
Chen Jianghe had brought six storage bags in total. Five of them were already stuffed with spiritual items. If he collected any more of these second-tier middle and low-grade items, he would have nowhere to put them.
The sixth storage bag was reserved for collecting top-grade second-tier spiritual items and above.
The Spirit-Nourishing Ganoderma, Cold Smoke Jade, Crimson Flame Stone, and the demonic beast spirit cores were all in this bag.
"Xiao Hei, I'm going to approach the thousand-zhang peak where those three third-tier demonic beasts are. You need to stay vigilant at all times."
"Don't worry, I know."
Xiao Hei sent a mental transmission, "If you're in danger and can't escape, let me out quickly. I'll get you away."
"Okay, I understand."
Chen Jianghe leaped off the cliff. The Silvermoon Flowing Wave Sword appeared beneath his feet, and he turned into a streak of silver light, flying toward the thousand-zhang peak.
The source of the great river was on the very mountain he had been standing on, which was already very close to the thousand-zhang peak.
To get any closer, he could only fly on his sword.
A hundred breaths later.
Chen Jianghe was still fifty miles from the thousand-zhang peak.
He could already clearly see the sight of treasure light soaring into the sky.
It wasn't a single beam of light piercing the clouds, but a dense treasure aura that permeated the entire thousand-zhang peak, coating it in a layer of golden light.
Another thirty breaths passed.
Chen Jianghe stopped.
He was now only thirty miles from the thousand-zhang peak. With his magic eye, he could vaguely make out a magnificent complex of palaces at the summit.
Palace after palace sat atop the thousand-zhang peak, ancient and solemn.
The treasure aura seemed to be emanating from those very palaces.
Chen Jianghe glanced to his left and right. Many cultivators were here, gazing at the thousand-zhang peak, their eyes fixed on the palace complex.
These cultivators were all waiting.
Waiting for an opportunity to enter the thousand-zhang peak.
With third-tier demonic beasts guarding it, they naturally didn't dare to enter rashly. So, they could only wait for the prodigies to form their cores within the secret realm.
"Eleven False Core Rogues, twenty-seven perfected Foundation Establishment cultivators, and three late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators."
Even counting the cultivators in hiding, it would probably be difficult to muster fifty people.
In just over a year.
Half of the trial-takers had perished.
One must know that the cultivators who could enter the Beast Taming Secret Realm were all extremely powerful among their peers.
They all possessed spirit-imbued magic tools, spirit beasts, and even talisman treasures.
Many cultivators had fallen.
Likewise, even more second-tier demonic beasts had fallen. The overall combat power of demonic beasts was stronger than cultivators of the same tier.
But that was only when compared to ordinary cultivators.
Against powerful cultivators of the same tier, third-grade bloodline demonic beasts would find it hard to gain the upper hand, unless they were fourth-grade bloodline beasts.
Take a human expert like Lady Jinghong, for example. Among her peers, killing a perfected second-tier demonic beast with a third-grade bloodline was as easy as chopping melons and vegetables.
Demonic beasts were strong, but it depended on which cultivator they were being compared to.
Whoosh!!
Suddenly, a Core Formation phenomenon gathered on a mountain peak a hundred miles from the thousand-zhang peak. A vast sea of clouds converged, and a five-colored glow shone down.
A terrifying gale whipped up the spiritual energy, forming a massive spiritual energy vortex.
At this moment.
Another Core Formation phenomenon appeared, this one to the east of the thousand-zhang peak. A vast sea of clouds filled the sky, saturated with dense worldly essence.
Beneath the glowing light, the spiritual energy swirled into a vortex, creating a violent spiritual energy storm.
"The Core Formation phenomenon on that mountain peak should be either Ji Yanhao or Lu Qingfeng. As for the other one, it's either the prodigy of the Beast Taming Zhou Clan, Zhou Jinhe, or the sect prodigy, Xiao Chen."
"I hope they all succeed in forming their cores!"
"Yeah, Lady Jinghong already succeeded and has lured away that third-tier savage bull."
"As long as they succeed, we'll have a chance to enter the palaces on the thousand-zhang peak."
"Haha... I, Yan, wouldn't dare to dream of a fourth-tier spiritual item, but I can still fantasize about a third-tier one."
Cultivators who had reached this level were no fools. The moment they saw the palace complex, they knew where the spiritual items were.
With such a dense treasure aura, there were definitely numerous third-tier spiritual items, and maybe even Core Formation spiritual items.
There might even be fourth-tier spiritual items, and possibly more than one.
The Beast Taming Secret Realm was the location of the ancient Beast Taming Sect. That palace complex was likely the sect's headquarters.
The demonic beasts guarding the thousand-zhang peak most likely couldn't enter it.
Therefore, as long as they could get into that palace complex, they would be safe.
But to break through the guard of three third-tier demonic beasts, they needed a Core Formation mighty one to keep them occupied.
At this moment, almost all the cultivators hoped that Ji Yanhao, Lu Qingfeng, Zhou Jinhe, and Xiao Chen would succeed in their Core Formation.
They knew their own limits and wouldn't choose to compete with Core Formation mighty ones for fourth-tier spiritual items.
They just wanted to enter the palace complex and obtain third-tier spiritual items or the various legacies of the ancient Beast Taming Sect.
Sword arts, various ancient secret art legacies.
These were all things they needed.
Whoosh!
A fierce wind suddenly rose.
Fifty miles away, another Core Formation phenomenon appeared, a vast sea of clouds enveloping a mountain peak.
"Peiyao and Yuan Chenyu aren't here. It seems one of these three Core Formation phenomena must be caused by Xiao Chen."
"Ruan Tieniu said the Zhou Clan prodigy, Zhou Jinhe, was also going to attempt Core Formation, so he's likely one of them. The only question is who the other one is. Ji Yanhao or Lu Qingfeng?"
Chen Jianghe didn't want it to be Lu Qingfeng. If Lu Qingfeng was the one attempting Core Formation, then Gao Peiyao would be in danger.
Unless Xiao Chen could successfully form his core.