bookpower Chapter 278: Ten Years Later
Chapter 278: Ten Years Later
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"Years ago, through my cousin's connections, I managed to exchange for a Core Dissolution Technique. I also prepared medicinal elixirs to aid in the process," Xing Peng said respectfully, suppressing the excitement in his heart.
For most Nascent Soul-level sects, having a Core Dissolution Technique was standard.
The Six Demonic Sects, being top-tier Nascent Soul factions in Great Qing, had numerous such methods in their collection. These methods were categorized into several tiers.
In the Unseen Gate, mid- and high-level members could exchange for a Core Dissolution Technique if they contributed enough.
Obtaining an ordinary Core Dissolution Technique was not too difficult. However, acquiring a superior technique would require one to be at the level of the Shadow Hall Chief or higher.
The most difficult part, however, was obtaining the protection of a Nascent Soul True Monarch during the process.
In theory, it was possible to attempt Core Formation without a True Monarch as a protector, but the risks were exceptionally high.
"Unfortunately, my resources were limited, and I couldn’t afford heavenly treasures that could improve the success rate of forming a True Dan," Xing Peng lamented with regret.
Certain heavenly treasures, such as Yin Yang Water, could significantly increase the success rate of Core Reformation and yield better results.
Even without a True Monarch's protection, these treasures could allow for a successful transformation into a True Dan.
"What is the success rate of the technique you exchanged for?" Lan Chang'an asked.
"Without a True Monarch's protection, only 20%," Xing Peng admitted cautiously, not daring to hide anything.
Failure in Core Formation would result in two outcomes:
First, perishing on the spot.
Second, severe damage to one’s foundation, making any subsequent attempts to condense a Core futile—even a Fake Dan would be out of reach.
Twenty percent?
Lan Chang'an pondered. The Core Dissolution Technique that Xing Peng had obtained was far inferior to the "Returning Dust Core Transformation Method" that he had acquired from Zhang Tieshan.
The Six Demonic Sects ruled vast territories and had a large population of cultivators.
Although a 20% success rate was low, there were always a few lucky individuals who succeeded in forming a Core without a True Monarch's protection.
Moreover, this wasn’t even the most advanced Core Dissolution Technique of the demonic sects.
"Did the Shadow Hall Chief stop you from attempting Core Reformation?" Lan Chang'an asked.
"He didn’t. With a 20% success rate, I made plans early on and was willing to take the gamble," Xing Peng replied.
"I'm already 148 years old. If I delay any longer, my body will deteriorate, my potential will drastically decrease, and my chances will become even slimmer."
Hearing this, Lan Chang'an nodded slightly.
Xing Peng, leveraging some of his connections and background in a top-tier Nascent Soul faction, managed to secure a 20% chance at Core Reformation.
Ordinary Fake Dan cultivators wouldn’t even have this opportunity.
Aside from the Core Dissolution Technique, other factors such as opportunities, heavenly treasures, and luck could also increase the chances of success.
Xing Peng likely assumed that Lan Chang'an's "Core Reformation opportunity" had come from the ancient ruin.
"This set of insights on Core Reformation comes from Tianfeng Immortal. Study it thoroughly, and do not pass it on to others," Lan Chang'an said, handing Xing Peng a jade slip.
Lan Chang'an had personally attempted Core Reformation three times and had accumulated vast experience. The insights recorded in this jade slip were actually his own.
They were even more comprehensive than the ones from Zhang Tieshan.
"Thank you for your generosity, Master Lan," Xing Peng said gratefully, immediately swearing a heart demon oath to seal his loyalty.
Lan Chang'an’s greatest restraint on Xing Peng came from the Gu God Seal, which was difficult to undo for ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators.
If Xing Peng was fortunate enough to advance to True Dan, the heart demon oath would still bind him significantly.
Three days later.
Xing Peng had thoroughly digested the Core Reformation insights.
Lan Chang'an returned to Xing Peng's small courtyard in the outer sect, set up a formation, and prepared to observe the Core Reformation process.
Seven days later.
The gray Core in Xing Peng's body was successfully dissolved, transforming back into pure liquid mana, though it had been a close call.
At the moment when the Core dissolving backlash was at its most severe, Lan Chang'an flicked his wrist and sent a green pill into Xing Peng's abdomen.
Without this intervention, Xing Peng would have suffered severe injuries, spitting blood and damaging his foundation, which would have affected the rest of the process.
"Compared to dissolving a True Dan, dissolving a Fake Dan is indeed easier," Lan Chang'an remarked calmly.
To Xing Peng, however, the experience was akin to walking through the gates of hell.
Had the Core dissolving process spiraled completely out of control, it would have resulted in a catastrophic explosion and instant death. Even Lan Chang'an wouldn’t have been able to save him.
After all, Xing Peng neither possessed third-rank body refinement nor the protection of a True Monarch.
"Thank you, Master Lan, for your life-saving grace!" Xing Peng said, his voice trembling with gratitude. Overcome with emotion, he knelt and kowtowed.
Having successfully dissolved the Fake Dan, Xing Peng's injuries were relatively mild. With proper recuperation over the next year or so, along with consuming precious medicinal treasures, he would be ready to condense a Core again.
"Where do you plan to form your Core?" Lan Chang'an asked, showing no intention of using his Evergreen secret spell again to expedite Xing Peng's recovery.
The green pill used earlier was a third-rank healing pill, enhanced with the Evergreen secret spell, which cost Lan Chang'an three months of his lifespan.
Thanks to his advancement to Golden Dan, the effectiveness of the Evergreen secret spell had also increased significantly.
"The Unseen Gate has secret strongholds, including infiltrated immortal cities, which can be used for Core Formation," Xing Peng replied.
"The matter of forming your Core is up to you to decide!"
"The Elder behind me, 'Elder Xuan,' is on the verge of condensing a Nascent Soul, and the seal in your mind is unbreakable by anyone nearby," Lan Chang'an said before leaving the outer sect.
...
Returning to the cave abode on Yunlai Peak.
Lan Chang'an pondered for a moment, analyzing the success rate of assisting others in dissolving their Cores.
If it was a Fake Dan being dissolved, and Xing Peng's case was taken as a baseline, then based on the "dosage" he had just used, the estimated success rate would be around 50-60%.
Increasing the dosage could improve the success rate, but it couldn't guarantee zero risk.
Ultimately, dissolving the Core largely depended on the individual, as the spiritual pressure field during the process was highly unpredictable. Lan Chang'an, not being a Nascent Soul True Monarch, couldn’t completely suppress these changes to ensure survival without risk.
Moreover, the idea of investing his lifespan multiple times into someone else’s attempt was something Lan Chang'an was unwilling to consider.
He then shifted his theoretical simulation to Zhao Siyao, considering her as a potential candidate for Core Reformation.
After a long time, he sighed and shook his head.
Zhao Siyao was significantly older than Xing Peng, now nearing 180 years of age.
In terms of cultivation technique and spiritual sense, Xing Peng far surpassed Zhao Siyao.
If Lan Chang'an were to invest even more of his lifespan, he might be able to help her through the Core dissolving stage.
However, when it came time for her to condense her Core again, the chances of even forming a Fake Dan would be slim.
If the attempt to condense the Core failed, given her age, the likelihood of her dying on the spot would be very high.
To summarize, Lan Chang'an could achieve a relatively high success rate for helping Fake Dan cultivators dissolve their Cores, akin to a Nascent Soul True Monarch.
However, he couldn’t influence the success rate of subsequent Core Formation or the quality of the resulting Core.
This was precisely why Nascent Soul True Monarchs rarely offered their protection during Core Reformation, except for close bloodline descendants or personal disciples.
After dissolving the Core, significant investments in rare medicinal treasures were required to repair the damaged foundation. If the Dao Foundation suffered severe harm, even fourth-rank heavenly treasures might be necessary.
Moreover, condensing the Core again would require a completely new set of resources for Core Formation, with no guarantee of success.
Within the sect, Core Formation resources were limited and highly competitive.
Even Nascent Soul True Monarchs could only provide assistance sparingly, as excessive support would provoke dissatisfaction among the sect's members.
After assisting Xing Peng in dissolving his Core,
Lan Chang'an returned to his daily routine in the Jin Yun Valley.
He spent his time cultivating, drawing talismans, refining magical treasures, and nurturing his stock of treasure talismans.
In secret, he continued searching for Life Extension Pills and accumulating materials for creating third-rank puppets.
As long as he remained within the Jin Yun Valley's sphere of influence, the bounty issued by the Xie Family of Chen Kingdom was effectively meaningless.
Unless the Six Demonic Sects launched a full-scale invasion and overran the cultivation world of Liang Kingdom, there was no other reason that could force Lan Chang'an out of his sanctuary in Jin Yun Valley.
...
Ten years flew by in the blink of an eye.
To the outside world, Lan Chang'an had not taken a single step outside the gates of Jin Yun Valley during this decade.
The legend of "Turtle Immortal" spread across the surrounding cultivation nations, becoming a topic of lighthearted conversation among low-level cultivators during their idle moments.
On this day.
At 190 years of age, Lan Chang'an completed his daily cultivation routine and slowly retracted his magical power.
Over the decade, his Evergreen mana had grown significantly stronger.
By now, it had been more than a decade since he had advanced to the Core Formation stage.
However, he was still far from reaching the peak of the early Core Formation stage.
Currently, he had only achieved about a quarter of the progress required for this stage.
After his daily cultivation, Lan Chang'an circulated his core energy to nurture the seventy to eighty treasure talismans in front of him.
As a sect Elder, Lan Chang'an no longer had to personally gather materials. Instead, he could issue missions for others to complete on his behalf.
This wasn’t because his Golden Dan True Fire was extraordinarily effective for refinement.
The key lay in the materials used in the original crafting of the Barbed Arrows. Their primary material had been fourth-rank Soul-Nurturing Wood.
However, due to Zhang Tieshan’s inadequate crafting skills and the lack of supplementary fourth-rank materials, the arrows’ grade had been somewhat reduced during their creation.
“After over a decade of nurturing with Golden Dan true fire, the power of a fully-charged strike from these Barbed Arrows could rival that of a late-stage Core Formation cultivator,” Lan Chang'an muttered, his eyes reflecting the cold light emanating from the arrows.
The three Barbed Arrows trembled faintly, emitting an invisible, piercing chill that caused a ripple of unease to stir within Lan Chang'an’s own spirit.
The attack method of the Barbed Arrows was sinister and deadly.
As long as a strike landed, it would be nearly impossible for a Core Formation cultivator in the early or middle stages to escape unscathed.
However, this “charged state” was a one-time ability. Once unleashed, the arrows would revert to their normal power level, requiring extensive nurturing again to regain their potency.
...
Two weeks later.
Xing Peng delivered a route map engraved on a jade slip.
“According to this route, it would take a True Dan cultivator traveling at full speed about a month and a half to make a round trip to the Seven Kingdoms Alliance,” Lan Chang'an calculated.
After a moment of deliberation, he decided to give himself three months for the journey.
The situation on the other end wasn’t reassuring. The Seven Kingdoms Alliance was also fending off invasions from the demonic sect forces.
The longer Lan Chang'an stayed away from Jin Yun Valley, the higher the risk he faced.
Leaving a decoy behind in his cave abode to emit a false aura would only last so long before someone might discover the truth.
Three months wasn’t much time. If something came up on the road, it simply wouldn't be enough.
...
To address this risk, Lan Chang'an made preparations.
"Merge!"
Closing his eyes, he activated the power of the Nine Seal Stele, summoning the shadow of his second life to descend and merge with his own soul.
These days, illuminating his second life only required a single year of time, so there was no need to finesse it.
The fusion of his two souls made his spiritual sense unprecedentedly powerful, surpassing the realm of ordinary Core Formation cultivators.
With heightened spiritual perception, Lan Chang'an could foresee and avoid potential dangers on his journey well in advance.
Combined with the detailed route map provided by Xing Peng, his chances of success were significantly improved.
A few days later.
Lan Chang'an crafted an overabundance of talismans and handed them to Jin Yun Valley as part of his regular contributions.
He then announced to the public that he was entering closed-door cultivation, leaving behind a third-rank Illusory Truth Talisman infused with his aura to simulate his presence in the cave abode.
This talisman was specially crafted to release his exact mana signature, creating the illusion that he was deep in seclusion.
With this cover in place, Lan Chang'an left Jin Yun Valley unnoticed, embarking on his journey to the Seven Kingdoms Alliance.
...
Two months later.
Seven Kingdoms Alliance.
Within the ruins of a mortal castle destroyed by war, a stone palace had been hastily constructed from the rubble.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a streak of purple light shot across the sky, piercing through the clouds and descending like a comet from the Nine Fiery Heavens.
“Demonic thief! I’ve finally found your hiding place!”
The light dissipated, revealing a sharp-featured and imposing man with a heroic aura. He was dressed in a robe of violet silk adorned with jade patterns, with a white jade pendant hanging from his waist.
In his hand, he brandished a Scarlet Feather Fan, a magical treasure that summoned fiery clouds stretching across three layers of the heavens, blanketing the air above the ruined stone palace.
“Junior Brother Wang, long time no see.”
From within the stone palace, a slightly familiar male voice rang out.
Wang Feng scanned the palace with his spiritual sense, finding no protective formations within. Inside, there was only a young man in blue robes with sword-like brows and starry eyes.
Next to the blue-robed youth was a small, open chest containing a pile of women’s embroidered shoes and silk stockings.
“Junior Brother Nie?”
Wang Feng was stunned, his expression turning to disbelief.
His spiritual sense repeatedly probed the scene, confirming what he saw.
Overjoyed, he descended into the stone palace.
“Junior Brother Nie, you stole my wife’s shoes and stockings just to lure me out for a meeting? Why not just return to the Flame Departing Palace openly and face me directly?”
Wang Feng glanced at the chest, his face turning awkward.
Two days ago, his dao companion’s shoes and stockings had repeatedly gone missing without any clues.
Residual traces of demonic energy at the scene suggested some sort of low-level demon beast was the culprit.
In an attempt to catch the thief, Wang Feng had secretly marked his wife’s shoes and tracked the trail all the way here.
“Junior Brother Wang, I have found my own opportunities outside and have the hope of achieving the Dao. I have no intention of returning to Flame Departing Palace to suffer alongside you, fending off the demonic sects’s invasion,” said the blue-robed youth flatly.
“Junior Brother Nie, why do you suddenly call me Junior Brother? You’ve always called me Senior Brother,” Wang Feng asked cautiously, spiritual sense probing once again to ensure the man was indeed Nie Yuan.
“I have attained Golden Dan and I am a few years older than you. Naturally, the way I address you must change,” Nie Yuan replied matter-of-factly.
As he spoke, he exuded Golden Dan-level mana fluctuations from his body.
“Nie.. Senior Brother, you’ve really formed a Golden Dan? Ten years ago, when we heard rumors of your success, we thought it was an impostor,” Wang Feng exclaimed.
After his initial surprise, his feelings grew complicated.
Wang Feng was a genius with earth spiritual roots, supported by a Core Formation Elder grandfather. He had painstakingly cultivated with the Flame Departing Palace’s greatest resources and endured countless hardships before finally forming his Golden Dan.
Nie Yuan, an ordinary inner disciple who hadn’t even been worth his attention, had also formed an Immortal Golden Dan and now stood on equal footing with him.
Nie Yuan had always been competitive, and now, after forming his Golden Dan and also being older, he clearly had no intention of returning to Flame Departing Palace.
Seeing Wang Feng’s reaction, Lan Chang'an secretly relaxed.
When he assumed the identity of Nie Yuan, he hadn’t inherited a complete set of memories, only knowing that the two had little interaction.
However, he had learned that Nie Yuan had once treated Wang Feng’s injuries and knew Nie Yuan was older by a few years.
Such minor age differences were details that only fellow disciples within the same sect would be privy to.
“This time, I’ve come to offer my assistance to Flame Departing Palace, to repay the karma of their past nurturing,” Lan Chang'an said calmly.
Hearing this, Wang Feng’s expression shifted as a thought occurred to him. He hesitantly asked, “A few days ago, when Immortal Luo Yun of Tianxing Pavilion mysteriously died and disappeared... was that your doing, Senior Brother Nie?”
Tianxing Pavilion, a former Nascent Soul-level faction of the Seven Kingdoms Alliance, had been overrun by the demonic sects, resulting in the death of even their Nascent Soul True Monarch.
Their plight was similar to that of Flame Departing Palace, and their strength was comparable.
Flame Departing Palace had been vying for a quasi-fourth-rank spiritual vein and had paid a significant price in the process.
When Tianxing Pavilion had interfered in the competition, relations between the two sides turned hostile, with conflicts escalating rapidly.
“That’s correct. Luo Yun died at my hands,” Lan Chang'an replied with a faint, confident smirk.
“You... killed him by yourself?”
Wang Feng’s expression froze, filled with disbelief.
Luo Yun was an experienced early-stage True Dan cultivator who had been at the Core Formation stage for over a hundred years.
Such a seasoned Core Formation cultivator was not easy to kill.
Wang Feng, as a Golden Dan cultivator, could easily defeat him in a fight, but outright killing him would be far more difficult.
Even more so, killing him without leaving any trace.
“Killing him was simple,” Lan Chang'an said indifferently, observing the disbelief on Wang Feng’s face.
Privately, Lan Chang'an wondered: Was this Luo Yun actually that strong?
He honestly hadn’t thought so.
At the time, Lan Chang'an had been lurking near Tianxing Pavilion’s mountain gates, scouting the area.
By sheer luck, he encountered a lone Core Formation cultivator wandering nearby.
Following silently, Lan Chang'an had ambushed him from behind.
The Barbed Arrow shot forth instantly, pinning Luo Yun’s soul in a single strike.
The True Dan cultivator hadn’t even managed to summon his magical treasure before dying.
In fact, by the time the Barbed Arrow had pierced his body, Luo Yun’s mind had already been severely damaged.
“... Simple?”
Wang Feng’s expression twitched as a sour feeling brewed in his chest.
Though he felt like Nie Yuan was bragging, his instincts told him that Senior Brother Nie wasn’t lying—and had no reason to.
How could the gap in strength between two Golden Dan cultivators be so vast?
Wang Feng couldn’t help but wonder if he had somehow formed a “fake” Golden Dan.