In the depths of the Cloud Sea on Celestial Capital Peak, Chen Sheng sat cross-legged on the Cold Jade Bed, surrounded by a faint halo of Sword Essence.

The cave abode was silent, except for the gentle sound of the Spirit Vein flowing, harmonizing with his steady breath.

He was at this moment calmly contemplating the insights gained from his failures.

Chen Sheng closed his eyes and focused, scenes of his past and present attempts to breakthrough to the Golden Core flashed through his mind.

Combining the vast insights left by successive real cultivators of the Qinghua Sect in his mind, his understanding of the path to Core Formation had reached the Mastery Realm.

"For most cultivators, the difficulty of breaking through to the Golden Core lies in two points—Harmonizing Yin and Yang, and Condensing Dragon and Tiger."

Chen Sheng slowly opened his eyes, his gaze fell on the yin-yang fish pattern on the cave wall, his tone carrying a few notes of understanding.

He pointed his finger, a strand of Sword Essence drew two interwoven arcs in mid-air:

"The so-called Harmonizing Yin and Yang, in essence, means controlling the Mana within one's body and reaching a subtle balance with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi that rushes in at the moment of Core Formation."

The arc of Sword Essence suddenly trembled violently, as if trying to break free from control:

"When breaking through to the Golden Core, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi will rush into the body like a tidal wave, colliding and fusing with one's own Mana, akin to tempering iron with fierce fire, too intense a fire will melt the iron into liquid, while insufficient fire fails to forge it into shape."

"One must let the two forces harmonize, maintaining stability throughout the compression into a pill, a slight mishap could result in runaway Spiritual Power, causing severe injury at best, or body destruction and Dao dissolution at worst."

Chen Sheng retracted the Sword Essence, a drop of pale golden liquid Mana formed at his fingertip, rotating slowly in his palm, emanating a sharp aura:

"And Condensing Dragon and Tiger emphasizes more on the quality of Mana itself."

He flicked his finger, the Mana dropped onto the Jade Disc before him, making a crisp sound.

Intricate patterns immediately emerged on the Jade Disc, recording the density and purity of the Mana:

"The so-called Dragon and Tiger refer to the two poles of hardness and softness within Mana, one must refine the Mana to the extreme solidity, best to the point of solidification, like condensed Golden Liquid, to withstand the impact of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi during Core Formation."

"It's like building a dike with mud and sand, the more compact the mud and sand, the better it can resist flooding."

Chen Sheng looked at the patterns on the Jade Disc, shaking his head slightly:

"Easier said than done."

The insights on Core Formation recorded in the Jade Scroll mention these two points eight or nine times out of ten, yet among cultivators who can execute them perfectly, not one in a hundred.

Many, even if they miraculously form the Core, can't explain the intricacies, merely stumbling upon it by chance.

He traced a finger along the edge of the Jade Disc, feeling the Gold Spiritual Power contained within the Sword Essence:

"This highlights the advantage of Spiritual Roots."

Cultivators with Earth Grade Spiritual Roots cultivating the Supreme Profound Sword Scripture, naturally produce Mana with heaviness and solidity, like poured Gold Ingots.

While his current body's Middle Grade Spiritual Root results in Mana that merely has a tinge of viscosity, not conducive to condensing the core.

Chen Sheng pondered:

"If I had Earth Grade Spiritual Roots, the viscosity level of my Mana would definitely surpass the current state, perhaps even possessing a degree of solidification."

"With this Mana foundation alone, attempting to breakthrough to the Golden Core could have an additional ten to twenty percent chance."

This is not self-deprecation.

The disparity in Spiritual Roots is akin to containers of different materials, Earth Grade Spiritual Roots like a tripod furnace forged from fine iron, able to withstand fiercer flames.

Whereas a Middle Grade Spiritual Root is but a vessel of clay, prone to cracking with slight negligence.

Chen Sheng's brows furrowed slightly, his thoughts drifting to the two Secret Realms in Chu Country:

"To solidify Mana with my aptitude is as difficult as ascending to the heavens."

"Looking across the land of Chu Country, perhaps only the Profound Water True Crystal in Qinghua Secret Realm, the Celestial Cloud Gold Jade in Li Xiao Secret Realm, or the… in Yue Ling Secret Realm could offer slight assistance."

Only slightly, at most, increasing the confidence by ten to twenty percent!

Better would be the Gathering Pearl Secret Skill paired with Tier Three Flood Dragon Essence Blood, offering greater assurance!

"These Spiritual Objects are rare in number, tightly controlled and passed down by the main peaks of the two sects, only provided to cultivators with Earth Grade Spiritual Roots to maximize their efficiency."

"Even in my past life, becoming a Qinghua Giant, I found it hard to obtain a share, let alone in this life as a Loose Cultivator."

This is also why he's never been insistent about Core Formation Spiritual Objects, the resources in Chu Country are scarce, with truly few treasures that could help him break through, and most monopolized by sects.

Rather than expending effort for a slim chance of success, it's better to focus on improving his control ability.

In this life, there's a safety net, treating the first two attempts as buying a lottery, accumulating experience, seeking opportunities in the future in Yue Country.

Chen Sheng closed his eyes again, guiding the Sword Essence within his body to circulate according to the technique of the Supreme Profound Sword Scripture.

The Sword Essence coursed through the meridians, at times fierce as a storm, at times gentle as a continuous stream.

"However, losing on one end, gaining on another."

He smiled faintly at the corners of his mouth:

"Though Condensing Dragon and Tiger is difficult, Harmonizing Yin and Yang is no longer a challenge for me."

His experience from multiple personal attempts gave him an almost instinctive grasp of the balance between the two forces.

Like an experienced helmsman, even facing tempestuous seas, he could steadily control the direction of the rudder.

The Sword Essence began to resonate with the Spiritual Qi in the cave abode, forming an invisible vortex.

Chen Sheng could clearly perceive, as his Mana met the external Spiritual Qi.

How to guide them to mesh together like cogs, and how to compress them to incubate the nascent Golden Core in their collision.

...

A few days later.

Above the Thousand Peaks Mountain Range, the winds and clouds suddenly changed.

Lead-gray clouds, as if dyed with ink, rolled into surging waves on the horizon.

A black wind, carrying intense Demonic Qi, swept in from the west, withered vegetation, causing birds to plummet, finally crashing heavily at the foot of Celestial Capital Peak like a frenzied dragon.

As the black wind dispersed, it revealed an elderly figure slightly portly, clad in a black robe, surrounded by wisps of Demonic Qi, from which emanated the haunting wails of ghostly screams, chilling to the bone.

The elder's eyes suddenly burst with two globes of blood light, piercing through the light screen of the array around Celestial Capital Peak, unable to discern the specifics of the array, yet clearly capturing the intense Tier Three Spiritual Light.

"Fake Pill Demon Cultivator!"

In Tingyu Market, a well-informed cultivator exclaimed in shock, his face turning ghastly pale, collapsing to the ground instantly.

This level of oppression was like a physical mountain, crushing bones to creak, even breathing was tinged with the smell of blood.

Venerable Soul Manipulator sneered, the Demonic Qi in his palm condensed into a skull:

"In this desolate place, surprisingly hides a Tier Three Spiritual Vein, no wonder that Tingyu brat occupied this place, setting up a Tier Three Array!"

He recalled his deceased disciple Yu Daoist, a flash of ruthless intent in his eyes:

"My disciple's death was not in vain, not even realizing the details of the Tier Three Grand Array before venturing in!"

The next moment, he transformed into a jet-black demonic light, hovering above the grand array of Celestial Capital Peak.

The Fake Pill Cultivator's vast Mana was unleashed without reservation, akin to an invisible mountain, stifling the air around Celestial Capital Peak, causing spiderweb cracks on the bluestone ground in the market, the momentum was overwhelming!

"Tingyu brat, come quickly to meet your death!"

His words exploded like thunder from the ninth heaven, rumbling above Celestial Capital Peak and Tingyu Market.

Many cultivators with weak Cultivation suddenly changed their expressions dramatically, minds shaken intensely, directly bleeding from their seven orifices, almost falling from their flying swords, trembling with intense fear.

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