As the Qi Sea gradually filled, the Yunze disciples felt a profound sense of mystery surge into their hearts!
This was an unprecedented feeling, as if their lives were about to be sublimated.
It was their first time experiencing such a sensation.
But for Bu Bu and Tu Xiu, it was different.
They had experienced similar feelings countless years ago, and even now, bathed in it after so many years, their expressions were filled only with joy.
This was the feeling of life about to transform!
If Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining represented the difference between mortals and immortals, then Golden Core and Condensing Core were worlds apart!
As the spiritual energy slowly filled them, Yun Xiao, whose Qi Sea was the narrowest, could no longer bear it.
The three nascent cores within her body gradually condensed into one, presenting a faint golden hue.
"Hold onto your original heart, maintain your essence, and do not resist!"
Shi You's voice rang out quickly!
In an instant, a large mass of Earth Origin was poured into her Qi Sea, constantly absorbing the spiritual power within her. Simultaneously, it elevated her spiritual root quality to the Earth tier!
Yun Xiao possessed an Earth spiritual root. Due to her spiritual root quality being only at the Yellow tier, low-grade, she was the weakest link among the five.
For this reason, Shi You had specifically condensed a thousand years of Earth Origin, all for this very moment.
This influx of Origin was Yun Xiao's greatest fortune in this life!
If she could endure it, her Golden Core would be formed, and her spiritual root would transform. While it might not reach the Heaven tier, it would be more than enough for high-grade Earth tier!
Yun Xiao naturally understood what this meant for her.
She gritted her teeth and persisted, continuously compressing her spiritual power into the Origin, intending to merge it with herself!
Half an hour later, it was Dan Chenyu's turn...
Although she had a ninth-level Qi Sea, it was still no match for Yun Ze's circulating Qi Sea, nor for the two anomalies beside him.
As her Qi Sea filled, a mass of Fire Origin descended instantly!
Though this Origin was not as abundant as the preceding Earth Origin, it was still a colossal amount!
No choice.
The Five Elements Core Forging method required everyone to forge their cores simultaneously. However, each person's Qi Sea was different, so they had to rely on the Origin to consume the ever-increasing spiritual energy to achieve this goal.
Fortunately, Shi You had foreseen this day and was extremely well-prepared.
What was a bit of Origin? They could collect more later!
Wasn't witnessing the legendary Twelve-Pattern Golden Core more precious?
Dan Chenyu also entered a different state, continuously accepting the spiritual energy pouring into her body while simultaneously channeling the spiritual power into the Origin for consumption.
Another quarter of an hour passed.
Yet, none of the three among Yun Ze's group had entered the next stage!
Considering that Yun Xiao, with her eighth-level Qi Sea, and Dan Chenyu, with her ninth-level Qi Sea, had only been separated by less than half an hour, it was baffling.
Now, a full hour had passed, and by all rights, someone should have faltered by now, but there was no sign of it.
Truly monstrous!
Dan Chenyu and Yun Xiao exchanged glances, both thinking the same thing.
Another quarter of an hour passed.
By this point, Yun Xiao was on the verge of collapse!
About a third of the Earth Origin provided by Shi You had been consumed, but her spiritual root was already swollen to the point of near rupture!
If she didn't break through to consolidate it soon, it would truly break!
But just then, Tu Xiu finally entered the next stage!
Almost simultaneously, Shi You directly tossed a mass of Water Origin towards him.
This Water Origin was even smaller than the preceding Fire Origin.
It couldn't be helped. While Origin was easy to obtain, it was a great tonic for any cultivator. It was better to use as little as possible.
Tu Xiu began to integrate the Origin into his body and, with a glance, swept over Yun Xiao.
This girl would finally get her wish.
But when his gaze fell upon Yun Ze and Bu Bu, he was stunned.
They... were still absorbing spiritual energy!
Setting aside the matter of ancient reincarnation for now, Yun Ze's circulating Qi Sea was only three hundred and sixty-five times.
Even after condensing and expanding considerably, it should be similar to his own.
Why was he still absorbing spiritual energy?
Tu Xiu frowned and turned to Shi You, who was guarding them, his eyes filled with confusion.
Shi You, seeing this, did not explain but merely smiled.
"Hold on, it should be completed in about another hour!"
An hour!?
These four words struck Yun Xiao, Dan Chenyu, and Tu Xiu like lightning from a clear sky!
Yun Xiao looked up at Shi You, her eyes filled with confusion and astonishment!
Only three-quarters of an hour had passed, and she was already at her limit. Now, another hour was required!
That was eight quarters of an hour!
By then, she would likely have already collapsed and been blown into a bloody pulp!
Dan Chenyu also opened her eyes.
Although she could endure for an hour, this comparison was simply too shocking!
Tu Xiu still had some reserves. He knew Shi You's usual demeanor; if you didn't ask directly, he wouldn't answer what you wanted to know.
He forced himself to divide his attention and asked, "Heavenly Mandate, why will it take so long?"
A smile played on Shi You's lips, like a cunning fox that had achieved its goal.
He simply enjoyed the feeling of others being ignorant while he knew everything.
"It's simple. Condensing one nascent core requires the amount of nine Qi Seas. You need to condense three nascent cores, while Yun Ze... needs to condense fifteen."
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately understood!
The Soul Cores were also counted among the nascent cores that needed to be condensed.
But why...
The three were not foolish, and all were researchers. In an instant, they understood Shi You's intention!
Given that three nascent cores could form one Golden Core, how many Golden Cores could fifteen form?
The answer was five.
Five Golden Cores, precisely corresponding to the Five Elements!
If this was further augmented by the Five Elements Core Forging method and the influx of Origin, then... they would personally create and witness the birth of a monster!
Throughout ancient history, and even in the distant future, such an existence would never be found again!
Five Golden Cores!
Perhaps even five Twelve-Pattern Golden Cores!
If Yun Ze hadn't used the Five Elements Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment method, supplemented by three Immortal Jades, and with such preparations during core forging, this miracle would never have been created!
"Steady yourselves!"
Seeing that they understood, Shi You said, "I didn't tell you earlier because I was afraid you might falter midway. I specifically saved this for now to motivate you!
Hold on! If you want to witness this miracle, we can't do it without you!"
Tu Xiu and Dan Chenyu simultaneously turned to look at Yun Xiao.
Yun Xiao merely frowned calmly, then closed her eyes again, pouring all her focus into accepting the Origin!
Yun Xiao!
You are Master Yun! The first to establish a foundation and condense a thousand paths in history! You cannot falter here!
You can do it!
Half an hour later...
Bu Bu also entered the final stage!
Shi You tossed an even smaller portion of Gold Origin to her, telling her to continue absorbing spiritual energy.
Bu Bu said nothing, but turned and stared at Shi You. The old man, however, turned his head away as if he hadn't seen it and began whistling to himself.
Wasn't he just embezzling a portion of the Origin?
Who was it for, if not for that kid?
The embezzled Origin would be given to him later, and he wasn't making a profit. Why was she looking at him like that?
Shi You said nothing, and Bu Bu didn't ask. She merely glanced at Yun Ze, confirmed there were no issues, and then turned her gaze to the other three.
Apart from Yun Xiao, the other two still had reserves.
But Yun Xiao...
She was already nearing her limit.
Bu Bu frowned and stared at Shi You again.
"Ahem."
Shi You coughed twice, and finally, with great reluctance, drew a drop of essence blood from his brow: "Yun Xiao, consider this borrowed from me. Although you can't repay it, you know its value. Return it when you have time."
As soon as the words fell, the essence blood floated into Yun Xiao's brow.
In an instant, her swollen spiritual root instantly solidified and condensed, as if it had always been that way, directly reaching mid-grade Earth tier!
Heavenly Mandate Blood!
The previous pressure vanished instantly. Yun Xiao quickly opened her eyes but dared not be distracted to speak. She could only express her gratitude with her eyes.
"It's nothing, just remember to repay it."
Shi You waved his hand and said, "There's still half an hour left. Everyone should be able to hold on, right? Let me be clear, my Heavenly Mandate Blood only appears once every thousand years, and there's no stock left. Everyone, be steady!"
No one spoke. They silently closed their eyes and continued to absorb the surrounding spiritual energy.
This old man must have hidden many more things!
One drop?
At least he always claimed it took a thousand years to condense one drop. But who knew the reality?
Another half hour passed.
Yun Ze finally entered the next stage!
The twelve Soul Cores plus the three nascent cores were only one step away from solidification, needing to be merged three by three to forge the Golden Core!
Yun Ze opened his eyes. Almost simultaneously, five types of Origin poured into his Qi Sea.
Each strand of Origin enveloped three half-solidified nascent or soul cores.
Hmm?
What was going on?
Neither Yun Ze nor the others had initially known Shi You's core forging method.
Seeing this scene now, Yun Ze was also surprised.
"Condense and forge your core! Quickly!"
Shi You shouted, and Yun Ze instinctively began to forge his core according to the method of Origin condensation!
Instantly!
*Crack!*
With a crisp sound, the Golden Core was forged!
This was the sound of Yun Xiao's core being formed!
She had endured for who knew how long. The moment Shi You spoke, she unhesitatingly merged the three nascent cores that were about to unite into one!
Core formed!
But the golden patterns had not yet appeared!
With the Heavenly Tribulation yet to pass, she had only calculated the Golden Core. It wasn't a true Golden Core yet. Only after enduring the Heavenly Tribulation would the core patterns appear!
*Crack!*
Another crisp sound. This time, it was the solidification of Yun Ze's first Golden Core!
He felt the changes in his Qi Sea and frowned.
This wasn't right!
Following this trend, he... would have five Golden Cores?
Yun Ze quickly opened his eyes and cast a questioning gaze at Shi You and Bu Bu, but they had no time to explain.
The next moment, a crisp sound rang out from Dan Chenyu's direction!
*Clang!*
Golden Core formed!
Dan Chenyu opened her eyes and looked at Yun Ze. Almost simultaneously, a second core formation sound rang out from within Yun Ze!
The sound was slightly different from the first core formation.
No, that's not right!
Yun Ze frowned.
He had been afraid of something going wrong and hadn't even attempted to forge his Golden Core. Why was there a core formation sound?
This didn't feel like he was guiding it, but rather... being guided by Yun Xiao and the others?
Yun Ze's pupils trembled, and he froze.
Before he could react, another core formation sound rang out!
*Boom!*
Tu Xiu!
His core formation sound was different from the previous two. It wasn't a tremor but a vibration!
Tu Xiu's aura instantly surged. Even before enduring the Heavenly Tribulation, his power had reached the peak of Golden Core stage!
This was his state of mind!
A state of mind that looked down upon the world!
After his reincarnation and cultivation, his foundation was even stronger and more stable than when he was Emperor Guiwu! If he could return to his peak, he would be no less than the likes of the Saint Cultivator Li Tian!
The next moment...
*Boom!*
A vibration also emanated from within Yun Ze!
His third Golden Core!
Yun Ze was completely flustered. While the previous instance could be attributed to coincidence, this time, Tu Xiu's was a vibrating sound, and his was also a vibrating sound!
This was no longer a coincidence!
*Dong!*
Just as everyone was surprised by the previous vibration, a dull thud exploded!
This dull thud was different from the vibration. It seemed to originate from the depths of their hearts, like a heartbeat.
This was... the legendary Heavenly Dao sound!
It was rumored that when a Nine-Pattern Golden Core shattered, if a Nine-Colored Nascent Soul was formed, such a profound sound would occur!
Those who heard it and were at the Nascent Soul stage would break through one minor realm on the spot!
But this was only a Golden Core!
Everyone closed their eyes and felt it. Although they hadn't yet undergone tribulation, they had indeed broken through to the mid-Golden Core stage!
The ancient existence was terrifying! What kind of core was she forging!
Bu Bu, core formed!
She opened her eyes and looked at Yun Ze, her eyes filled with anticipation!
And in the next instant... *dong!*
As expected!
The fourth Golden Core was formed!
Yun Ze panicked. Two Heavenly Dao sounds had already pushed him to the late-Golden Core stage!
But Shi You smiled!
"Yes! That's it!"
Shi You looked at Yun Ze, his eyes filled with almost frenzied anticipation: "The final step! Just one last step! The Great Dao sound!"
The Great Dao sound!
Everyone looked at Yun Ze, their hearts filled with hope.
Ninth-level Qi Sea, Nine-Pattern Golden Core, Nine-Colored Nascent Soul – these were all the foundations that could be laid on the path of cultivation.
Stages beyond that, such as Out-of-Body, Soul Separation, Body Integration, and Tribulation Transcendence, were all built upon these foundations.
But Mahayana was different.
If all realms before Mahayana were broken through in the most perfect manner, and the physical body remained undamaged and the soul intact, then the Great Dao sound would occur during the breakthrough.
Unlike the Heavenly Dao sound, the Great Dao sound would not cause a breakthrough, but it possessed a terrifying characteristic!
Those who heard it would have their souls eternally preserved!
What did this concept mean?
Even a cultivator at the Qi Refining stage, if exposed to it, would remain human even if submerged in demonic liquid and marinated, without any change!
If a weapon resonated with it, it would inevitably produce a spirit!
Yun Ze naturally knew this legend.
Upon hearing it, his eyes lit up, and he quickly took out the pair of waist drums!
Weapon spirit!
Whether it could be formed depended on this!
Yun Ze closed his eyes and sank his consciousness into his Qi Sea. All twelve Soul Cores had now been forged into formless Golden Cores, only the nascent cores remained!
He activated his spiritual sense and slowly brought the three nascent cores together.
Instantly!
*Hummm~!*
Core formed, the Great Dao sound... appeared!