Chapter 260: Chapter 257: Core Formation 1

Standing in his courtyard, Li Ping was in high spirits.

At fourteen, under the guidance of Daoist Ji, he stepped onto the Immortal Dao.

At twenty-two, to advance further and seek an opportunity for Foundation Establishment, he traveled thousands of miles to Fenglan Immortal City to make his way.

At forty, he successfully reached Foundation Establishment.

At seventy, Mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

At one hundred, Late-stage Foundation Establishment.

Now, at one hundred and thirty, he had finally reached the verge of Core Formation.

Once he crossed this threshold, he would become a Master and enjoy a lifespan of five hundred years!

With such a long lifespan, back on his previous world of Earth, he could have sat and watched mortal dynasties rise and fall.

Originally, Li Ping never expected to reach the Golden Core realm.

He had only hoped that after reaching Foundation Establishment, he could comfortably live out the remaining two hundred years of his life.

But his peerless talent wouldn’t allow it, and ultimately, it pushed him to the threshold of Core Formation.

’It’s a pity I still haven’t managed to cultivate the Ten Thousand Spirits Divine Communication Skill to the 5th Floor,’ Li Ping thought, sensing the vast Divine Sense lingering within his sea of consciousness.

In fact, despite so many years of practice and his considerable talent with Divine Sense cultivation techniques, his Ten Thousand Spirits Divine Communication Skill was still at the 3rd Floor, just shy of reaching the 4th Floor.

However, Li Ping decided not to wait any longer.

Nothing in this world was ever perfect.

Even if he managed to cultivate the Ten Thousand Spirits Divine Communication Skill to the 5th Floor before attempting Core Formation, it would only increase his success rate by about ten percent.

With the wondrous properties of his Nourishing Life Skill Power, it made no real difference to him whether his chance of success was eighty-five percent or ninety-five percent.

For one, his success rate was already incredibly high.

Aside from cultivators with a Celestial Spiritual Root, even those with a Mutated Spiritual Root would struggle to surpass a forty percent chance of success, and that was with the aid of a Core Formation Spiritual Object.

His eighty-five percent success rate was enough to be the envy of every cultivator, save for those with a Celestial Spiritual Root.

Secondly, he had the protection of his Nourishing Life Skill Power. Even if his attempt at Core Formation failed, he could easily heal his injuries and restore his damaged Origin.

After a short rest to get back into optimal condition, he could simply try again.

And so, after packing up his personal belongings into his Storage Bag and recalling the frolicking Desolate Fire Sparrow and Earth Spirit Rat into their Spirit Beast Pouches, Li Ping pushed open his door and flew straight toward the Flying Snow Sect’s estate within the city.

He was going to find Shi Yutong to borrow a Tier Three Spirit Vein for his breakthrough to Core Formation.

...

Li Ping had lived in Flying Snow City for over forty years, during which he had frequently helped the Flying Snow Sect with alchemy.

He had forged a deep friendship with Shi Yutong and visited the Sect’s grounds many times, making him a familiar face to them.

Upon arriving outside the Flying Snow Sect and having the guards announce his arrival, he was quickly brought to the main hall to meet Shi Yutong.

Shi Yutong still had the youthful appearance of a girl in her teens, with skin like snow and silver hair. Dressed in a gold-and-silver Magic Robe, she smilingly welcomed Li Ping and offered him a seat.

As she instructed an attendant to serve Spirit Tea, Shi Yutong spoke. "Brother Li, what brings you to see me today?"

Li Ping’s Divine Sense swept over Shi Yutong, and he noticed that the aura emanating from her held a faint sense of Perfection.

Clearly, she too was not far from reaching the peak of Late-stage Foundation Establishment.

In truth, her cultivation speed was actually a bit slow for someone of her standing.

After all, she was a cultivator with an Abnormal Spiritual Root, practiced in a Tier Three Spiritual Land, and could even take Spirit Pills to advance her cultivation.

Coupled with the fact that she had advanced to Late-stage Foundation Establishment before him, she should have reached the peak of the stage well before he did.

But unlike Li Ping, who ignored worldly affairs to focus solely on his bitter cultivation, Shi Yutong had to spend a great deal of time managing the Sect. Especially after Mu Yun Master had perished and Qianxue Master had gone into seclusion, all of the Sect’s affairs were left to her to decide.

As a result, her cultivation had naturally been delayed.

Thus, despite having a superior Spiritual Root, her cultivation speed was actually slower than his. It would likely take her several more years to reach the Peak of Foundation Establishment and attempt to break through.

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Li Ping smiled and said, "To be frank, Sect Leader Shi, I came to see you today about an important matter."

Hearing this, a puzzled look appeared on Shi Yutong’s face. "Oh? What is it, Brother Li? Please, speak freely."

Li Ping then explained that he had reached the Peak of Foundation Establishment and wished to borrow the Flying Snow Sect’s Tier Three Spirit Vein to attempt his breakthrough to Core Formation.

After hearing Li Ping’s explanation, understanding dawned on Shi Yutong’s face.

She smiled. "Congratulations on your great progress, Brother Li."

She agreed to his request without hesitation. "I promised you before, Brother Li, that you could use our Sect’s Spirit Vein for your breakthrough whenever you needed. Of course, it’s no problem. When do you plan to enter seclusion?"

A smile spread across Li Ping’s face when he heard her agree. "The sooner, the better."

...

Soon, with Shi Yutong’s arrangements, Li Ping was granted permission to enter seclusion and practice on the Tier Three Spirit Vein.

The secluded chamber he was assigned was the very same one Xiao Yunzhi had used for her breakthrough.

It wasn’t that the Flying Snow Sect had no other available cultivation chambers. Rather, Shi Yutong believed that since Xiao Yunzhi had successfully achieved Core Formation in this room, it proved she possessed great fortune.

Thanks to her residual blessing, the place could be considered auspicious ground.

If another cultivator attempted their breakthrough here, perhaps some of Xiao Yunzhi’s good fortune would rub off on them, increasing their chances of success.

That was why Shi Yutong had specifically arranged for Li Ping to use the same chamber.

Shi Yutong led Li Ping to the chamber door and offered her blessing with a smile. "I wish you a swift and successful breakthrough, Brother Li. May you achieve the Golden Core Path!"

Li Ping nodded with a smile. "Thank you for your good wishes, Sect Leader Shi."

He stepped into the chamber and activated its sealing array.

Li Ping walked around the chamber, and as he breathed in, he thought he could still smell the faint, lingering scent of Xiao Yunzhi from her time here.

But it was just his imagination. Xiao Yunzhi had achieved Core Formation over twenty years ago.

There was no way her scent could have possibly remained.

’This is a good place. The Spiritual Qi here is much denser than the Tier Three environment I created with the Spiritual Eye Jade,’ Li Ping thought, nodding in satisfaction.

He then took the Spiritual Eye Jade from his Storage Bag and placed it in the center of the chamber.

Next, he took out a cyan jade Array Plate and dozens of foot-long Array Banners from his Storage Bag.

He had obtained both the Array Banners and the Array Plate from a secret grotto-heaven in the Western Wilderness.

Anticipating that he might need to use them someday, he had previously asked Xiao Yunzhi to teach him some basics of the Array Dao.

Although his talent for the Array Dao was quite average—Xiao Yunzhi had repeatedly called him ’hopeless’—he had ultimately failed to master even the simplest Tier One Array.

However, he had learned enough to know how to deploy an Array Plate and its banners.

’Even if you can’t solve the problem, you can still copy the answer, right?’

SWOOSH!

Using his Magical Power, Li Ping guided the Spiritual Eye Jade directly into a socket on the cyan jade Array Plate.

With the Array Plate as the core, he then patiently measured the distances and planted the Array Banners one by one into the floor around the chamber.

Once everything was in place, Li Ping activated the array.

HUMMM—

A shield of light materialized out of thin air, enclosing Li Ping within its protection.

Seeing this and feeling the astonishing amount of Spiritual Qi emanating from the shield, Li Ping smiled in satisfaction.

With the protection of a Tier Three Array, he could hold off even a Core Formation Cultivator for a short time, should one try to interfere with his breakthrough.

Of course, this was the Flying Snow Sect’s territory, with Qianxue Master presiding over it.

Besides, he had never offended a Core Formation Cultivator.

It was highly unlikely one would show up to disrupt his seclusion.

Li Ping waved his hand.

WHOOSH!

Six Tier Two Upper Grade puppets—four for offense and two for defense—appeared in the chamber.

After cultivating the Ten Thousand Spirits Divine Communication Skill to the 3rd Floor, Li Ping could use Divine Thought Transformation to control up to twenty-seven puppets simultaneously.

He could finally deploy these six puppets at once.

With all this done, Li Ping finally set his mind at ease, returned to the center of the chamber, and sat down cross-legged.

Although he wasn’t afraid of injury or failure during his breakthrough attempt, his cautious nature compelled him to take every possible precaution and prepare for every eventuality.

So, for now, Li Ping did not rush to break through the bottleneck. Instead, he patiently continued to refine his state, adjusting his Magical Power, physical body, and mind until they were all in peak condition.

...

「Three years later, inside the secluded chamber.」

Li Ping sat cross-legged, his eyes closed.

Suddenly—

Li Ping’s eyes snapped open. For an instant, a flash of lightning seemed to spark within them. ’My condition is optimal. It’s time to attempt the breakthrough.’

He immediately retrieved a Spirit Pill from his Storage Bag—the Yuan Condensing Pill he had prepared long ago.

Li Ping had refined a total of three Yuan Condensing Pills. He had no intention of making a casual, preliminary attempt at the bottleneck.

’If I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it in my absolute best condition!’

After swallowing the Yuan Condensing Pill, Li Ping patiently refined its medicinal potency. Aided by its power, he began the first step of Core Formation.

Condensing Magical Power into a crystal!

The source of a Core Formation Cultivator’s Magical Power is the Golden Core within their Dantian.

In essence, a Golden Core is simply Magical Power that has been condensed into a solid state!

From Qi Refining, to Foundation Establishment, to Core Formation—the state of one’s Magical Power transitions from gaseous, to liquid, to solid.

Each time one breaks through a major realm, the change isn’t merely one of form; it is a fundamental transformation in the very nature of one’s Magical Power!

Within his Dantian.

Guided by his immense Divine Sense—which was already comparable to that of a Core Formation Cultivator—the center of the ocean of Magical Power began to act like a magnet, slowly drawing the surrounding power into a gentle rotation.

The rotation grew faster and faster.

As Li Ping began to assault the bottleneck, the aura emanating from his body surged like an erupting volcano.

Turbulent waves of Magical Power surged outward from him, causing faint ripples to spread across the surface of the Array Shield.

If one were to draw near, they would see a verdant, aqueous light coiling around him and occasionally hear the sound of crashing waves—in truth, the sound of the sea of Magical Power churning within him.

At this moment, Li Ping’s Magical Power had reached the absolute pinnacle for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Rotating, compressing... He endured the tearing sensation in his Dantian, using his Divine Sense to force the Magical Power to spin even faster.

Gradually, microscopic crystalline particles began to form at the very center of the maelstrom.

The aura emanating from Li Ping’s body swelled, growing ever stronger...

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