Chapter 469 - 441: Stage-Breaking and Realm-Tempering

Chapter 469: Chapter 441: Stage-Breaking and Realm-Tempering

In the following days, the situation in the direction of Skeleton Ridge continued to escalate.

Every two to three days, Li Yuan would pause for a moment on a high point at the outskirts of the market city, sweeping his perception over the northwest with Dark Evil Insight.

The Golden Core auras were growing more numerous.

The might of Xuan Pu Master’s Late-stage Golden Core cultivation remained entrenched on the eastern side of Skeleton Ridge, like an immovable iron tower. In addition to him, two more Early-stage Golden Core auras from the Celestial Peak Sect had appeared. Judging by their positions, they seemed to be coordinating with Xuan Pu Master to form a pincer formation.

The three Golden Core cultivators from the Abyss Sect had not retreated. Three signals of Demonic Qi with continuous wave characteristics were scattered across the western and northern sides of Skeleton Ridge, facing off against the Celestial Peak Sect from a distance.

The Evil Slaying Sect’s movements were even more covert. About twenty *li* south of Skeleton Ridge, Li Yuan detected two extremely restrained signals of Demonic Qi in a valley. They had a segmented pulse, a standard Evil Slaying Sect characteristic. Their Cultivation was only at the Late-stage Foundation Establishment, but they were hidden extremely deep, as if observing the situation in secret.

The Primordial Yang Sect was not absent either. Two more Golden Core auras had appeared in the direction of Chen Yi’s outpost.

But it was another aura that concerned Li Yuan the most.

About ten *li* northeast of Skeleton Ridge, there was a Golden Core aura.

The aura’s attributes were pure, and the fluctuation spectrum of its Cultivation Technique was highly consistent with the Bitan Sect disciples he had previously seen in White Mirror Market and Yunyang Market.

All the major powers had gathered at Skeleton Ridge.

The pieces on the chessboard were increasing, and the space was shrinking. Li Yuan knew full well that in this multi-sided game, the wisest choice was to stay put and continue accumulating strength.

He closed the stone door of his hut, activated the Concealment Array, and poured all his energy into his Cultivation.

「On the night of the fourteenth day.」

A dull, prolonged hum echoed from deep within his Dantian.

The dense, dark patterns on the surface of his Middle Grade Demon Qi Golden Core lit up all at once. The Golden Core began to spin on its own, faster and faster. The Demonic Qi on its surface peeled away layer by layer like a cocoon, only to re-condense. With each layer that peeled off, the purity of the newly formed layer was even higher.

The internal structure of the Golden Core was restructuring.

The process lasted for about four hours.

When the Golden Core’s rotation finally slowed to a stop, the scene inside his Dantian had completely changed.

The Golden Core was a size smaller than it had been in the Early Stage, but its surface luster had changed from dull to a deep, ethereal purple, like a miniature star that had condensed endless dark energy. The concentration of Demonic Qi flowing through his meridians had nearly doubled, and the destructive power contained within each wisp of Demonic Qi far surpassed what it was before the breakthrough.

At the moment of breakthrough, Li Yuan felt something in his equipment slot stir.

The Demon Essence Bead.

[Demon Essence Bead · Adversity Remolding (Blue) permanence condition met]

[Adversity Remolding (Blue) has become a permanent perk]

The phantom image of the Demon Essence Bead shattered in the equipment slot, turning into blue specks of light that merged into his body. The slot was now empty.

Adversity Remolding—when one’s cultivation realm drops, their cultivation aptitude and lifespan are permanently increased. The higher the realm one falls from, the greater the increase in aptitude and lifespan.

’A final insurance policy.’

This perk itself wouldn’t make him stronger, but it provided an extremely solid safety net for the future possibility of "shattering the core to start over." If he were to voluntarily shatter his core and drop in realm, Adversity Remolding would trigger at the moment of the drop, converting the Golden Core Grade at the time of the fall into a permanent increase in aptitude and lifespan.

The higher the realm he shatters it from, the greater the compensation.

Shattering the core at the Mid-stage Golden Core versus the Early-stage Golden Core—the compensation received from triggering Adversity Remolding would be on a completely different level.

’And I still have Realm-Breaking Tempering.’

Another change was equally significant.

His Divine Sense’s strength at the Mid-stage Golden Core was a quantum leap compared to the Early Stage. The original eight stable, parallel Divine Sense Lines were instantly pushed to ten upon breakthrough.

The two extra Divine Sense Lines meant the upper limit of his multitasking with Divine Split was expanded once again. He could now handle more tasks simultaneously, and the efficiency of multitasking Cultivation, combat, scouting, and Alchemy would be greatly enhanced.

His Demonic Qi limit also rose a whole level with the breakthrough to the Mid-stage Golden Core. In this new realm, his Middle Grade Demon Qi Golden Core could bear and release a total amount of Demonic Qi far beyond that of the Early Stage. Combined with the thirty percent boost from Dark Demon Concealment, his combat power in terms of Demonic Qi was on a completely different level than before.

Li Yuan spent three days stabilizing his realm.

After confirming that his aura was completely restrained and his meridians were operating without any hindrance, he took an item out of his personal storage space.

The Profound Nether Jade Bead.

The milky-white bead emanated a gentle luster in his palm. Now fully repaired, the Jade Bead was brimming with Spiritual Power. Its twelve main circuits and thirty-six branch lines were unobstructed, and its internal energy cycle was like a perfectly beating heart.

"Equip."

Realm-Breaking Tempering. A purple perk.

Effect: Consume your own Golden Core Grade to advance one minor realm. The Golden Core Grade decreases by one tier after each use. After the first use, the Golden Core Grade can be re-refined, and the upper limit of Essence, Qi, and Spirit will increase by ten percent.

Li Yuan’s gaze was calm.

’I am currently at the Mid-stage Golden Core, with a Middle Grade Demon Qi Golden Core.’

’After using Realm-Breaking Tempering, my Cultivation will jump directly to the Late-stage Golden Core, but my Golden Core Grade will drop from Middle Grade to Low Grade.’

’Middle Grade becoming Low Grade damages my foundation, but I can recover it.’

’Besides, I was already planning to shatter my core and start over anyway.’

The drop to Low Grade wouldn’t affect his future plans. After shattering the core, everything would be reset to zero. The grade of the re-condensed Golden Core would depend on his foundation, perks, and any alchemical aids, not the grade of his current Golden Core.

Moreover, the ten percent increase to his Essence, Qi, and Spirit limit granted after the first use of Realm-Breaking Tempering was permanent. This ten percent boost would stay with him for life, never disappearing whether he shattered his core or re-cultivated.

A Late-stage Golden Core Cultivation, the safety net of Adversity Remolding, and a permanent ten percent boost to his Essence, Qi, and Spirit limit.

’A threefold benefit, and the only cost is the grade of a Golden Core that’s destined to be shattered anyway.’

There was no reason to hesitate.

Realm-Breaking Tempering activated.

The Middle Grade Demon Qi Golden Core in his Dantian trembled violently under the impact of this external force.

The deep, ethereal purple luster on the Golden Core’s surface began to flake away.

One layer, two layers, three layers.

With each layer that flaked off, the purity of the Demonic Qi contained within the Golden Core diminished. The ethereal purple luster gradually faded, replaced by a dimmer, grayish-purple. The Golden Core’s volume didn’t change, but its internal crystalline structure had clearly become looser.

Middle Grade dropped to Low Grade.

At the same time, the energy stripped from the Golden Core did not dissipate. Instead, it was swept up by the power of Realm-Breaking Tempering and surged along his meridians toward a higher level.

The barrier between the Mid-stage and Late-stage Golden Core was like paper before this power.

A hum, even duller and more prolonged than the one during his breakthrough to the Mid Stage, exploded deep within his Dantian.

The Golden Core began to restructure once more.

This restructuring was even more intense than the one during his breakthrough to the Mid Stage. The energy circuits inside the Golden Core were completely shattered and rebuilt. Under the guidance of Realm-Breaking Tempering’s power, each circuit was rearranged, forming a new, more compact and complex structure.

Although its grade had dropped to Low Grade, the structural level of a Late-stage Golden Core was far beyond that of a Mid-stage one. The operational efficiency, carrying capacity, and burst strength of his Spiritual Power and Demonic Qi all leaped up by a huge margin.

The restructuring continued for a full twelve hours.

When everything calmed down, Li Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

A grayish-purple Golden Core spun quietly in his Dantian. It was another size smaller than it had been at the Mid Stage, but its density was higher, and its surface was faintly etched with intricate, spiderweb-like patterns.

Low Grade Golden Core, Late-stage Golden Core.

A series of prompts popped up on his panel.

Li Yuan clenched his fists.

The power of the Late-stage Golden Core surged through his body. Every inch of his meridians was filled to the brim, almost overflowing, with abundant Spiritual Power and Demonic Qi.

His ten Divine Sense Lines had now become twelve.

The twelve Divine Sense Lines were arranged neatly in his sea of consciousness. The two additional lines over what he had at the Mid-stage Golden Core elevated his multitasking abilities to another level.

The effect of the ten percent increase to his Essence, Qi, and Spirit limit was all-encompassing. The total amount of Spiritual Power, Demonic Qi, Divine Sense strength, and Qi Blood reserves had all increased by ten percent. Stacked on top of his already extremely profound foundation, the actual benefits of this ten percent increase far exceeded the number on paper.

Li Yuan stood up and stretched his body.

Late-stage Golden Core.

Many years had passed since he first stepped onto the path of cultivation. From an ant in the Qi Refining Stage to his current Late-stage Golden Core, every step he had taken was exceptionally solid.

And the road ahead was still long.

’Nascent Soul.’

’Shatter the core and start over.’

’The Abyssal Grotto.’

Li Yuan pushed open the stone door and walked out into the night.

In the distance, toward Skeleton Ridge, several Golden Core Level auras were still locked in a silent standoff.