Before consuming the spiritual medicine, Han Li meditated in the secret chamber for several days, adjusting his entire body’s true essence to its optimal state. Only then did he take out the small bottle containing the Skyfire Liquid.
Tilting his head back, he carefully dripped a few drops into his mouth, then hurriedly put the bottle away and closed his eyes, waiting for the medicine to take effect. Before long, the meridians in Han Li’s body began to feel scorching hot, and his internal true essence surged like boiling water, rapidly flowing along his meridians.
Though somewhat alarmed, Han Li quickly retrieved an unknown packet of spiritual medicine from his person and, without hesitation, poured it into his mouth. He then began calmly cultivating the Green Origin Sword Art to break through his bottleneck.
When the seventh layer of the sword art was fully mastered, it would mark the day of Han Li’s successful Core Formation.
Of course, prior to this, Han Li had already instructed Qu Hun, who was in the adjacent room via spiritual sense, to also take the “Skyfire Liquid” and other auxiliary spiritual medicines.
The “Blood Refinement Divine Light” that Qu Hun cultivated was a type of quick-acting demonic path technique. Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for him to form a core. However, with the “Blood Condensation Five Elements Pill,” things were naturally different, so his situation was vastly unlike Han Li’s Core Formation.
Qu Hun was not relying on a specific technique to condense a golden core. Instead, he had taken the “Blood Condensation Five Elements Pill” and directly refined the pill’s power to form a Fiend Core.
Relatively speaking, his process was much simpler than Han Li’s. After giving a series of specific commands, Han Li left Qu Hun in the adjacent room and no longer paid him any mind.
Although Han Li’s chances of forming a core this time were slim, he still had to give it a serious attempt. Even if he failed, it would accumulate experience for his next Core Formation attempt.
With these thoughts, Han Li gradually shut off all external sensations and fully immersed himself in the arduous cultivation of refining his qi.
At this point, the passage of time outside held no meaning for Han Li.
Days passed one after another!
Spring gave way to winter…
Four years later, one day on Sea Ape Island, the place was still as chaotic as ever. The dock and the island’s only city were buzzing with mild excitement. It was the season when numerous sea apes surfaced to mate, and many low-level cultivators hurried in and out of the island. While the cultivators were happily earning spirit stones, the merchants were also joyfully busy with their purchases.
But around noon, a remote desolate mountain on the island witnessed a scene that left nearby secluded cultivators stunned.
The originally clear, cloudless blue sky suddenly underwent a dramatic change!
A massive, oppressive dark cloud had somehow gathered over the desolate mountain. Silver lightning and deafening thunderclaps danced wildly like frenzied snakes.
Simultaneously, the spiritual energy from all directions began to swirl and hum around the desolate mountain, forming a massive vortex several miles in diameter beneath the dark clouds. It voraciously absorbed all the spiritual energy within a several dozen-mile radius, astonishing the solitary cultivators.
They unanimously emerged from their cultivation spots and hurriedly flew toward the desolate mountain where the anomaly was occurring.
Even the most ignorant cultivators understood that such a shocking celestial phenomenon unmistakably indicated that a senior in the cultivation world was on the verge of successfully forming a golden core.
The Chaotic Star Seas were about to gain another Core Formation cultivator! However, the fact that someone was attempting Core Formation in such a spiritually barren place was utterly unexpected for these solitary cultivators.
Feeling both envy and astonishment, they naturally wanted to see for themselves. If they could establish a connection with this expert, or even become his disciple, wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing?
But before these people could reach the spot, the distant spiritual energy vortex seemed to have absorbed enough energy. Following a clear phoenix cry, it completely dispersed. Within the chaotic spiritual energy, faint multicolored rays of light shimmered, appearing exceptionally beautiful.
Then, the clouds parted, the mist scattered, the lightning vanished, and everything returned to normal, with the weather still clear and pleasant.
By this time, the solitary cultivators had just flown near the desolate mountain. Before they could get close, an icy voice echoed in their ears: “Those who approach this mountain without permission will be killed!”
This extremely cold and emotionless warning caused the dozen or so low-level cultivators to pale. They simultaneously halted and looked at each other in dismay. Clearly, this newly Core-formed senior did not appreciate disturbances.
After exchanging glances for a moment, they naturally wouldn’t foolishly proceed and instead turned around silently to return.
But soon, the news that a cultivator had successfully formed a core on Sea Ape Island spread rapidly, leaving other cultivators on the island who were unaware of the event stunned for a long time.
That a cultivator would choose Sea Ape Island for Core Formation was utterly baffling! Immediately, many low-level cultivators established new cave residences centered around that desolate mountain.
Although warned by this Core Formation cultivator, these solitary cultivators, harboring various intentions, dared not casually approach the mountain. However, they hoped that by residing and cultivating nearby, they might eventually have a chance to meet this Core Formation expert!
For a time, the area became bustling with activity.
Yet, no one knew that within a certain cave residence on that desolate mountain, it was already empty. The one who had truly formed the core was now flying high in the sky thousands of miles away. Accompanying him was a calm-faced youth—Han Li, who had failed to form his core.
Han Li glanced at Qu Hun, who was sitting cross-legged beside him. Though his expression remained neutral, a sense of relief arose in his heart.
In truth, he had ended his closed-door cultivation a year earlier. After three years of consuming spiritual medicines and refining his qi through meditation, he had to admit that there was no hope for Core Formation this time—there wasn’t even a hint of his true essence solidifying. So, he simply stopped cultivating and focused on assisting Qu Hun’s Core Formation!
As a result, with the forced assistance of numerous spiritual medicines, Qu Hun lived up to Han Li’s expectations. A few days prior, during the dragon-tiger confluence, he ultimately formed a Fiend Core.
The smoothness of the process even surprised Han Li himself!
Overjoyed, Han Li drove away the peeping solitary cultivators, immediately abandoned the cave residence, and stealthily left Sea Ape Island with Qu Hun.
He now intended to return to Small寰 Island to check if his true cave residence was still intact. Believing that after four years, even the most patient individuals wouldn’t have a Core Formation cultivator still watching Small寰 Island.
If all was well, he would naturally take the rare insects from the residence and flee far away, leaving the southwestern sea region for good. The Chaotic Star Seas were vast; with Qu Hun’s early Core Formation cultivation, surely there would be a place for Han Li.
Moreover, although Qu Hun couldn’t use the “Green Scintillation Sword” due to incompatible spiritual root attributes, he could barely wield the ancient elder’s magic treasure, the “Primordial Chaos Bowl”!
Even if he couldn’t fully refine it or unleash its complete power, he could still manage to fight other Core Formation cultivators with a magic treasure.
Furthermore, Han Li had given Qu Hun both the golden small sword talisman treasure and the previously acquired golden skull talisman treasure, keeping only the small knife talisman treasure for himself.
With Qu Hun’s Core Formation cultivation, activating a talisman treasure didn’t require prolonged spiritual energy mobilization; he could instantly deploy it to attack enemies, compensating for his magic treasure’s insufficient power.
Thinking this, Han Li fully activated the Divine Wind Boat, transforming it into a streak of white light as he flew toward the direction of Que Star Island.
…
Over a month later, Han Li and Qu Hun appeared in the sky above Small寰 Island.
Han Li first used his spiritual sense to scan the surroundings of Small寰 Island. Detecting no other cultivators, he and Qu Hun confidently urged their magical instruments forward, entering the island from the dock and flying toward the mountain where his cave residence was located.
While still far from the two peaks—one tall and one short—Han Li’s spiritual sense had already scanned both mountains.
Han Li, aboard his vessel, was stunned! Not only were both the real and decoy cave residences intact, but even the three outer layers of protective formations showed no signs of damage. This was completely beyond his expectations!
However, the appearance of such an eerie scene only heightened Han Li’s vigilance. When they were about a li away from the mountain, the Divine Wind Boat came to a halt.
He didn’t rush directly into the formations. Instead, with a gloomy expression, he carefully surveyed the surroundings.
Finding nothing unusual around or within the mountains, Han Li lowered his head in thought for a moment. Suddenly, his eyebrows raised, and he stepped on the Divine Wind Boat, finally flying into the large formation.
The formations were indeed exactly as Han Li had left them four years prior, showing no signs of alteration. After a brief inspection, Han Li entered the cave residence without further hesitation.
He naturally paid no attention to the decoy cave residence on the shorter peak. Instead, he directly entered the true cave residence via the tunnel and strode toward the chambers where the rare insects were kept.
But when Han Li reached the entrance of the chambers, his jaw dropped in astonishment! The scene before him left him utterly dumbfounded.
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