Another spring has arrived, and the spiritual plants atop Celestial Capital Peak are growing even more lush. Mist shrouds the mountains, glinting with a faint golden light in the morning sun.

In the guest hall.

Chen Sheng is seeing off a young man dressed in profound black martial attire. The young man is tall and sturdy, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, and a facial expression that remarkably resembles Zhao Jinhua.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao, take care on your way. Should there be another opportunity, feel free to return to Celestial Capital Peak for tea and discussion."

Chen Sheng bids farewell with cupped hands, his tone calm and steady.

The young man is Zhao Bailu, a gentle smile on his face. He bows in return:

"Brother Tingyu is too kind. If the opportunity arises, I will surely come to visit again."

Watching Zhao Bailu's figure fade into the Cloud Sea, Chen Sheng retracts his gaze, feeling a bit melancholic—upon first meeting Zhao Bailu, he almost thought Zhao Jinhua had come back to life.

This descendant of the Zhao family had come for the same reason as Xu Longhu in the past, to recruit him on behalf of their true disciple.

However, this time the gesture was much more generous than Xu Longhu's, as upon meeting, he offered a piece of Core Formation Insight as a greeting gift.

Chen Sheng took out the jade scroll inscribed with the Core Formation Insight from his storage pouch, scanned it with his divine sense, and a smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He knew this insight all too well; it was a summary of his own failed attempt to form a Golden Core in a previous life.

The other party must have thought the reputation of a Tier Three Middle Grade Alchemy Grandmaster was impressive enough to believe this "Alchemy Grandmaster's" insight would persuade him, not knowing that the true author of this insight was himself.

"My juniors really went through a lot of trouble,"

Chen Sheng shook his head and put away the jade scroll.

Zhao Bailu was versatile. After being politely rejected, his face showed no hint of losing composure, remaining as affable as ever. Compared to Qin Daolei's steadiness, he had a bit more of a young man's liveliness.

Yet, within this liveliness, there hid a subtle arrogance.

He thought he hid it well, but Chen Sheng saw through it in an instant.

...

Zhao Bailu flew down the mountain with his flying sword. As soon as he left the range of Celestial Capital Peak, the smile on his face vanished, replaced by a trace of coldness.

He snorted coldly, his voice filled with disdain:

"Truly unappreciative! It seems Uncle Qin was right, these people are most unruly, thinking they are remarkable just because of some benefits."

Volunteering to come and recruit Tingyu Daoist was initially to show his prowess in front of the Young Master, but unexpectedly, he was so directly refused.

The more Zhao Bailu thought about it, the angrier he became, clenching his fists tightly:

"Still fixated on the Dao path. I'd like to see how a loose cultivator without sect support or resources can form a Golden Core over time!"

He knew well that the failure to recruit this time would certainly make him lose face in front of the Young Master.

Previously, within the Commerce Association, he was given considerable attention due to his status as a Zhao family descendant and decent qualifications, but after hitting this setback, he feared being eclipsed by his peers.

With this thought, Zhao Bailu's face darkened further, and his sword light accelerated as he flew towards the Qinghua Sect.

Qinghua Sect, Pill Furnace Peak.

In an elegantly arranged cave abode, a young man in a moon white Daoist robe was sitting by the window, playing with a jade scroll in his hand.

He's handsome, with a noble air between his brows, none other than Wu Ruoxu, the Young Master of Pill Furnace Peak.

Among the direct descendants of the two Wu Clan true men, he was the only Earth Grade Spiritual Root seed, a promising candidate for becoming a true man.

"Young Master, Zhao Bailu has returned; Tingyu Daoist did not agree to the recruitment."

Qin Daolei stood beside him, reporting with a bow.

Upon hearing this, Wu Ruoxu only chuckled softly, placing the jade scroll on the table, his tone indifferent:

"I see. Bailu is still too young and impulsive, far from being as shrewd as you, Tributor Qin."

Qin Daolei quickly cupped his hands in response:

"You overpraise me, Young Master. That Tingyu Daoist on Celestial Capital Peak has an aura as sharp as a sword, his Sword Intent stern. When I observed him, I felt this person is not simple. If we force recruitment, it might bring trouble."

Recalling the invisible Sword Intent he felt on Celestial Capital Peak the other day still made Qin Daolei uneasy.

Wu Ruoxu nodded gently, a trace of understanding flashing in his eyes:

"Let it be. He's merely a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivator. Since he is a carefree cultivator not wanting to be bound by a sect, why should I be the villain here?"

He's not particularly invested in the contention between the two sects, and with Pill Furnace Peak's status firmly established and his future already set, there's no point in stirring up trouble for a loose cultivator.

Upon hearing this, Qin Daolei felt relieved instantly, bowing and quietly retreating afterward.

Now alone in the cave abode, Wu Ruoxu gazed out at Pill Furnace Peak, his eyes growing distant as he murmured to himself:

"How difficult it is to be unrestrained…"

He recalled what was recorded in the sect's annals. Though Ancestor Dragon Void was the master of Pill Furnace Peak, he was also entangled by sect affairs, unable to free himself until he was over three hundred years old.

"I fear only the ancestor with a sea-like tolerance could allow Uncle Yuquan to abandon the Fake Pill Great Dao and seek his path in the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range."

Wu Ruoxu sighed lightly and turned his gaze back to the jade scroll on the table.

Perhaps for them, the sect disciples, being truly carefree was ultimately an unattainable dream.

Upon further reflection, Wu Ruoxu felt he was being sentimental:

"Seeking what you already have and desiring what you do not. Ordinary loose cultivators yearn for a Fake Pill but cannot attain it, while if I achieve the Fake Pill Great Dao, even if the Golden Core is out of reach, I still surpass ninety-nine percent of cultivators."

...

Flicking a finger, several years swiftly passed by like a flash.

At the top of Celestial Capital Peak, Chen Sheng sat cross-legged inside a cave mansion at the Cloud Sea Peak, emanating a strong aura all over.

His eyes were tightly closed, and his mind delved into his Dantian, where 350 drops of pale golden liquid Sword Essence slowly rotated.

Each drop of Sword Essence contained a sharp cutting edge, more viscous and pure than the mana of his previous life.

"Foundation Establishment Perfection, finally achieved."

Chen Sheng slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

Cultivating a top-level cultivation technique to perfection, one could cultivate mana equivalent to the Circulation Number, seemingly the limit of the Foundation Establishment Realm, of which he had not heard anything higher.

Although the "Supreme Profound Sword Scripture" fell short by a notch, it was still a superior cultivation technique and could condense 350 drops of Sword Essence, far surpassing ordinary Foundation Establishment techniques.

He carefully contemplated his own state.

The Blood Gang circulated like a tide within his body, the flesh of Body Refining Sixth Layer Perfection exuding a powerful aura.

The Sword Essence in the Dantian was abundant, each drop containing the pure power of Sword Dao.

The Divine Sense was even more precise, covering a range of 900 zhang, clearly perceiving every rune's flow within the array.

Chen Sheng thought to himself:

"The path of cultivation is the transformation of essence, qi, and spirit; the foundation of this life is far stronger than at the peak of the previous one."

"If I had Flood Dragon Essence Blood at my disposal, the hope of breaking through to Body Refining Seventh Layer and condensing a Golden Core should be somewhat better than in my previous life."

Alas, the world does not offer so many ifs.

He shook his head, but there was no trace of frustration on his face:

"Nonetheless, it's worth a try; even if I fail, I can accumulate Core Formation experience for the next attempt."

With this thought, Chen Sheng flicked his finger, and 36 Tier Two Top Level Array Banners flew out from around the mountain terrain of Celestial Capital Peak, suspended in front of him.

His hands swiftly performed incantation gestures while muttering, and the runes on the Array Banners immediately lit up, emitting brilliant light.

"First, conceal the Array Hub!"

Chen Sheng moved his form, flying above the Cloud Sea, setting up an Illusion Array, and then pouring out the vast amount of Spirit Stones he had prepared.

In his previous life, he amassed countless Spirit Stones, enough to support the operation of a Tier Three Grand Array.

He distributed the Spirit Stones evenly within the Array Hub.

Suddenly, he had a thought and took out a Sword Box, his hands once again performing incantation gestures, and one by one, Flying Swords leaped from the Sword Box, hiding in the void, surrounding the area in an implicit formation, awaiting visitors.

"Come!"

Chen Sheng beckoned, a Main Banner in hand, he muttered while shaking the Array Banner.

The dozens of other Array Banners immediately flew swiftly in the air, rearranging according to the positions of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams, blending into the mountain terrain.

Before long, a more massive Spirit Light burst from the Array Banners, enveloping the entire Celestial Capital Peak, as the clouds churning, the array's power more than multiplied compared to before.

"The Nine Palaces formation took shape, the Tier Three Water Moon Array is complete!"

"Though lacking a Tier Three Spiritual Vein, there are enough Spirit Stones to simulate the spiritual qi concentration of a Tier Three Spiritual Vein, maintaining this Tier Three Grand Array."

Chen Sheng nodded in satisfaction and returned to the cave mansion.

He sat on a futon and flicked his finger, and a small purple Jade Bottle flew out from the Storage Pouch, suspending in mid-air.

This Jade Bottle named "Purple Cloud Treasure Bottle" was a Tier Two Top Grade Spiritual Artifact, a replica of the legendary "Eternal Evergreen Bottle."

The legend says that the Eternal Evergreen Bottle can keep elixirs from spoiling for tens of thousands of years, and while the Purple Cloud Treasure Bottle falls far short of that, it can still preserve elixirs for hundreds of years without losing efficacy.

Chen Sheng specifically used it to store important elixirs.

"Open!"

Chen Sheng performed incantation gestures with both hands, and the stopper of the Purple Cloud Treasure Bottle automatically flew out, from which three crystal-clear elixirs glowing with purple Spirit Light floated out.

Each elixir was clearly engraved with two Pill Patterns, exuding a rich medicinal fragrance.

"Tribulation Pill, Tier Three Lower Grade Elixir, singular in function but crucial—healing."

Looking at these three elixirs, Chen Sheng nodded lightly.

For cultivators attempting to break through to the Golden Core, the Tribulation Pill is a lifesaving key.

Under normal circumstances, a qualified Tribulation Pill is enough to allow a Foundation Establishment Cultivator to preserve their Primordial Qi after a failed Golden Core breakthrough, surviving even in the worst situations.

If possessing two, injuries can be greatly reduced, potentially suffering only minor wounds.

With three Tribulation Pills at hand, not only can injuries heal quickly, but one can also return to peak condition in a short time.

"For ordinary Loose Cultivators, a single Tribulation Pill can be considered a Core Formation Spiritual Object. While it can't break realms, it can save lives."

Chen Sheng couldn't help but recall himself from the second life.

At that time, he relied merely on a Vascular Protection Pill to attempt Foundation Establishment.

He cautiously suspended the three Tribulation Pills before him, his hands performing incantation gestures once again.

Slowly, he began circulating the "Supreme Profound Sword Scripture," adjusting his state for the upcoming Core Formation attempt.

Outside the cave mansion, the Cloud Sea churned, the array's Spirit Light flickered within the clouds, enveloping the entire Celestial Capital Peak in a solemn atmosphere.

Chen Sheng slowly closed his eyes as the Sword Essence around him started circulating in a special trajectory.

An invisible aura emanated from his body, resonating with the array of Celestial Capital Peak, as if to integrate with the heavens and earth.

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