Eternal Life: I Can Control My Essence Qi-Chapter 263 - 197: Golden Core! Golden Core!

This is the first step of Core Formation—liquefaction of mana.

"Rumble..."

On the celestial canopy above, winds and clouds converge, vaguely ascending in five-colored splendor.

Accompanying the process of mana liquefaction, the phenomena within the Secret Realm changes, forming a colossal spiritual energy vortex spanning hundreds of miles, stirring a spiritual energy storm.

If this were in the outside world, such a tremendous change in phenomena would be enough to alarm all the cultivators within thousands of miles around.

The process of Spiritual Energy Implantation and mana liquefaction lasted for a full three hours.

For Zhang Yao, with his original abundance of mana, completing mana liquefaction was already the easiest thing, and now with the aid of Earth Milk, it was achieved effortlessly, with the quality of the purified liquidized mana being higher.

After three hours, the initial completion of mana liquefaction was done, and Zhang Yao began to operate the Profound Technique, channeling all the mana throughout his body into the Spiritual Foundation.

"Buzz!"

The Spiritual Foundation, already refined into a Golden Core Embryo, rapidly trembled, beginning its metamorphosis like a fish leaping over the Dragon Gate under the continuous infusion of liquidized mana.

This is the second step of Core Formation—Solid Pill Shaping.

During this process, the five arrays across Zhang Yao's entire body began to operate, each exerting different effects, accelerating the process of Solid Pill Shaping.

The Golden Core Embryo, after all, was not a true Golden Core.

Thus, this step of Solid Pill Shaping needed to be swift, or else any delay whatsoever could lead to the collapse of the Spiritual Foundation, resulting either in immediate death or becoming crippled.

"Whoosh..."

The vast torrent-like mana ceaselessly surged into the Golden Core Embryo, even compressing the Spiritual Foundation until tiny cracks appeared.

Clearly, without external help, it's feared that Zhang Yao's Spiritual Foundation might burst open before Solid Pill Shaping succeeds.

This step of Solid Pill Shaping becomes increasingly challenging as mana grows more abundant. However, correspondingly, the achievements after refining into a Golden Core are far greater.

"It was indeed not that simple!"

Zhang Yao was mentally prepared, immediately grabbing the small porcelain bottle beside him and swallowing the Qianyuan Solidification Pill.

Considering his abundant level of mana, the difficulty of the Solid Pill Shaping step was second to none, and he would not dare to proceed without the aid of Spirit Pills and Spiritual Objects.

"Crack!"

After swallowing the Qianyuan Solidification Pill, it immediately integrated with his own mana mechanism, transforming into a mysterious force that settled upon the Spiritual Foundation.

In an instant, the Spiritual Foundation seemed to be encased in crystal amber, the cracks ceased spreading and were firmly bound together.

This is the wondrous use of the Qianyuan Solidification Pill, combined with the mana itself to solidify the state of the Golden Core Embryo, and the stronger the mana, the greater the effect.

With the aid of the Spirit Pill, Zhang Yao was also fully focused, without a moment's negligence, maneuvering his mana and operating his methods to unceasingly push the completion of this step of Solid Pill Shaping.

"Steady!"

Two hours later, as the effects of the Qianyuan Solidification Pill gradually wore off, Zhang Yao's mind settled.

Thanks to twenty years of harmonizing mental realm and mana mechanism, his control over his own mana had improved another notch, and the speed of his mana infusion increased likewise.

Increasing by this notch often determined success or failure.

At this point, he had nearly completed the step of Solid Pill Shaping, about to embark on the final and most perilous checkpoint.

"Here we go."

Zhang Yao took the Thunder Soul Crystal from the ornate box—a small, thumb-sized semi-transparent crystal flickering with tiny sparks of thunder.

He placed the Thunder Soul Crystal into his mouth, tucking it under his tongue, then started boldly to tackle the final step.

"Buzz!"

Zhang Yao mobilized his Divine Soul and Divine Thought, surpassing his bodily self, and entirely investing into the now-solidified and beginning to emit slight golden glow Golden Core.

This is the final step of forming the Golden Core—Void Pill Formation.

In Zhang Yao's understanding:

The Golden Core is not only a symbol of the cultivation realm but also the core of a new human nexus and a new life form.

The powerful life-saving Divine Communication Skills that a Golden Core Stage cultivator refines can ensure survival even when beheaded or internal organs pulverized, relying on the Golden Core's uniqueness.

This is the significance of the step of Void Pill Formation—to substitute part of the function of the brain's marrow sea and to carry one's Divine Soul and will.

Entrusted with one's life and completely flawless, this is the true Dao's Golden Core.

"Boom!"

The moment the Divine Soul and Divine Thought merged into the Golden Core Embryo, Zhang Yao felt a dazzling golden light before him, as if the entire world was full of brightness and there was no hint of darkness.

However, Zhang Yao knew this was the most dangerous moment when his intrinsic will and the inner form of the Golden Core clashed; failing to pass through could result in total loss of consciousness and the fragmentation and death of the Golden Core Embryo.

He questioned himself, believing that with hundreds of years of life's accumulated experience and his strong spiritual will refined through all the hardships of the mortal world, he could make it through even without external help.

But now that a better option was available, he would not risk suffering.

"Crack!"

Relying on a residual sliver of instinct and psychological suggestion, Zhang Yao crushed the Thunder Soul Crystal under his tongue.

In an instant:

"Sizzle..."

Thunder flashed continuously, with tiny sparks of electricity starting to rise.

Clearly tiny sparks of electricity, yet in Zhang Yao's Divine Soul and Divine Thought sense, they were thunders spanning heaven and earth, tearing through the sky.

Taking advantage of the Thunder Soul Crystal's special features, he cleared the impediments within the Golden Core's inner form, creating a weak point artificially.

Zhang Yao seized this opportunity, mobilizing his will, transforming into a spear piercing the heavens, and with all his might, clashed towards the golden sky.

"Boom!"

After the resonating crash, like a hammer against a heavenly drum, the sky shattered, and the golden light receded.

Zhang Yao's spiritual will commanded his Divine Soul and Divine Thought, rising from the pervasive thunder, like experiencing a lightning tribulation and being reborn.

In soundless silence: a canopy of golden flames rose around the Golden Core Embryo, dyeing the originally pale-gold entirely into pure and flawless gold.

The golden elixir pill spun rapidly, with an all-encompassing, most exquisite and whole aura rising from it.

When illusion and reality combine, the Golden Core is refined!

"Boom!"

Zhang Yao felt a tremor throughout his body, with a new vast mana surging from within the Golden Core.

His physique, his Divine Soul and Divine Thought, all underwent a rebirth and transformation under the immersion of the Golden Core, representing an ascension in the essence of life.

Having trodden the Immortal Dao for over two hundred years, the Golden Core was finally accomplished!!

"Golden Core! Golden Core!!"

A genuine joy arose in Zhang Yao's heart.

If the Qi Refining Stage marks the beginning of the journey on the Immortal path, and the Foundation Establishment Stage is the striving for entry into the Immortal Sect, then the Golden Core Stage is the true admission into the halls of the Immortal Dao.

Golden Core Cultivators enjoy a lifespan of five hundred years, with an extreme lifespan of ten decades.

Looking across the lands and seas, no matter the country or place, Golden Core Cultivators are absolute figures of significance, revered ancestors of their domains.

Only after achieving the Golden Core can Immortal Dao cultivators dare to claim 'I command my own fate'.

"Wow..."

Zhang Yao reached out his finger, with a gentle point, and five-colored mana sparkling with golden light emerged, like ribbons.

This was Golden Core Level mana, several times superior to mere Liquidized Magical Power.

A cultivator in the Qi Refining Stage can use a portion of mana to maneuver four to five times the Celestial and Earthly Spiritual Qi, which forms the foundation of all magic and the source of the Immortal Dao cultivator's power.

Even in the Foundation Establishment Stage, mana becomes more refined, but its essence remains unchanged.

However, the Golden Core Stage is different. A portion of Golden Core Level mana can maneuver over ten times the Celestial and Earthly Spiritual Qi, marking an essential difference.

Thus, in the Ancient Era, Golden Core Magical Power was also called 'True Essence' to distinguish it from the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages.

"Golden Core Magical Power is so formidable, not to mention its intrinsic purity far exceeds Foundation Establishment Magical Power."

"Using the same mana and performing the same Daoist Technique, the power a Golden Core Cultivator can unleash far exceeds that of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator by tenfold!"

Zhang Yao marveled in his heart.

If ten Qi Refining Perfection Cultivators joining forces could pose a slight headache for a newly advanced Foundation Establishment master; then ten Foundation Establishment Perfections together are nothing more than ants before a Golden Core Ancestor, easily extinguished with a flick.

Even cultivators of perverse caliber like Yu Wen Tai or Zhang Yao at the peak of Foundation Establishment would only have the assurance of retreating intact before a true Golden Core Ancestor.

Only after genuinely achieving the Golden Core did Zhang Yao profoundly understand the might of a Golden Core Ancestor.

"Finally, no longer among the disposable ants..."