Chapter 76: Demonic Beast Blood, Terrifying Pressure

Within his dantian, the Golden Core circulated, swallowing the surrounding spiritual Qi like a whale.

Spiritual Qi was insufficient, so spirit spring water made up the difference. Chen Chuyang opened his mouth and gulped down large mouthfuls of spirit spring water, replenishing his own true Qi consumption.

All true Qi was entirely transformed into Hunyuan true Qi—this time, it was true Hunyuan true Qi.

The early stage of the third layer of the Hunyuan Dao Scripture—after the Golden Core condensed, it instead stabilized. Unlike the cultivation realms of this world, after True Gang came Core Condensation. The Core Condensation realm was divided into three levels: the Void Core realm, the Inner Core realm, and the Golden Core realm. The Golden Core realm here was not the same as Chen Chuyang's current Golden Core.

The two were not the same.

The Golden Core realm that this world possessed could not compare to Chen Chuyang's Golden Core. The two were as different as heaven and earth.

The former was a condensation of true Qi, condensed step by step to achieve a Golden Core.

But Chen Chuyang's Golden Core was not so. It was an aggregation of essence, Qi, and spirit, and even his cultivation insights were all on the Golden Core. A single Golden Core represented everything, and also represented his second life. Even if his body were destroyed, as long as the Golden Core remained unextinguished, he could still survive without dying.

Furthermore, the existence of the Golden Core allowed him to better comprehend heaven and earth, and comprehend divine abilities. This was also the heaven-defying aspect of his cultivation method—one step ahead, and every step ahead thereafter.

"Hahaha, not bad at all. This feeling is truly exhilarating."

Chen Chuyang manipulated his own Hunyuan true Qi. With a single thought, the true Qi moved accordingly, shaped at will into any form—now an ox or horse, now a sheep or dog, now various spiritual herbs, now various spiritual flowers, and finally condensed into the shape of a little carp, lifelike in every detail.

This was the micro-manipulation of Hunyuan true Qi. Chen Chuyang played with it enthusiastically, then drew up water and manipulated the water's changes. His water control ability was mastered in an instant. Controlling heaven and earth, controlling various elements—all came effortlessly.

After water came fire. Earth fire bloomed like flowers in his palm. The earth fire that he previously could not thoroughly control was now, in his palm, as docile as a baby chick, doing whatever he commanded.

Casually controlling everything—whatever he wished, he could control. Chen Chuyang played joyfully, playing for a full half shi before slightly suppressing that excitement and delight. Then he observed his Golden Core. On it were Chen Chuyang's various insights: Formation, artifact refining, Pill Refining, as well as his understanding of various spiritual herbs—the growth, withering, and rebirth of spiritual herbs, taking root and sprouting again. This process was very simple, yet very complex.

Contemplating and comprehending continuously, he discovered that his Golden Core had gained a kind of profound aura.

Both hands manipulated the true Qi, forming a profound domain around his body, similar to the previous True Gang, yet different.

"Divine ability—Hunyuan One Qi Method."

The Hunyuan One Qi Method was a technique Chen Chuyang had comprehended.

The embryonic form of a divine ability, the embryonic form of invulnerability to all methods.

It was also something that formed naturally after the Golden Core condensed, based on Chen Chuyang's various deductions. He had previously pondered this aspect but had never been able to truly complete it. His manipulation of true Qi and his comprehension of the Dao were not strong enough, so he could not reach this step.

After Advancement, he could effortlessly control everything. This technique came into being naturally.

"With this technique, I no longer need to worry about sneak attacks."

"Nor do I need to fear spell battles. However, I must not grow arrogant or careless."

The world was vast, with countless capable people and countless divine abilities. Chen Chuyang would not be careless.

After all, he still could not achieve true invulnerability to all methods. Once he reached that step, it would be fine to be a bit more brazen.

"The spiritual Qi of the spirit spring water here has been mostly swallowed by me. It needs time to recover."

"But it doesn't matter. Based on the spirit spring water flowing out from the cave entrance, it will recover within three days."

He reached out, scooped up, and caught a little fish. Chen Chuyang grilled it and stuffed it into his mouth. The taste was fresh and exquisite—a flavor he had never tasted before, very delicious. After eating it, he felt his physical body's strength had increased. Only a little, but it had increased nonetheless.

After his physical body's Advancement, its strength was not something his former body could compare to, and it could still be enhanced further.

"These little fish?"

Silver-white little fish, very small. Eating one wouldn't even fill the gaps between his teeth.

But the spiritual Qi within was truly abundant. Their grade was not high, yet the benefits were considerable.

Being able to enhance the physical body—these were good things, hundreds of times more effective than spiritual fruits.

Spiritual fruits had no effect on the current Chen Chuyang. These little fish had swallowed demonic beast blood and completed a transformation, thereby acquiring a certain physical-body-enhancing effect. Moreover, it would not overlap with demonic beast blood.

"I'll call you Silver Spirit Fish."

Chen Chuyang, terrible at naming, gave them a simple, easy-to-remember name based on the fish's silver-white color.

Given these little fish another period of time, they would very likely advance to second grade. By then, the effect would be even stronger.

The current enhancement to his physical body was not very obvious, so Chen Chuyang stopped eating these fish. There were also not many fish in the pool; they needed to reproduce and advance. This place limited their reproduction, so their numbers could not grow too large.

After they advanced, perhaps there would be... many more. Coupled with the Formation Chen Chuyang had set up to limit the dissipation of spiritual Qi, those Silver Spirit Fish would get a good opportunity to reproduce.

"Should I probe once more?"

Chen Chuyang had broken through. His heart was burning hot. After the breakthrough, his soul followed in elevation, gradually penetrating deeper.

It penetrated farther and deeper than the last time. Chen Chuyang did not know how far he had gone.

It seemed he had touched the end.

Inside, it was terrifying. A faint crack appeared, and his soul caught it. Chen Chuyang was wild with joy—he had finally seen the end. He controlled his soul to slowly penetrate inside. The moment his soul entered, Chen Chuyang felt that strand of soul was gone.

The connection was lost.

"Hmm?"

His face pale, he had completely lost that strand of soul. Chen Chuyang hurriedly regulated his breathing, and it took a good while before he stabilized.

"The soul was devoured instantly, faster than I could even react. It's very dangerous in there. I shouldn't probe it for now. Wait until my cultivation rises a bit more, then slowly probe again."

It seemed that after his probing, a mass of blood flowed out.

Chen Chuyang sensed it and controlled it with his soul. A mass of fresh blood was entirely collected by Chen Chuyang.

"I've struck it rich. So much blood."

"Bzz."

A terrifying pressure bore down.

"Not good."

"Retreat."

Chen Chuyang turned and ran. That pressure instantly filled the entire cave, and the spirit spring water in the pool shot up to the sky.

Fortunately, the distance was too great, and that pressure had been weakened many times over. Chen Chuyang's face was pale, but he withstood that pressure.

"Whew, whew, whew. Good thing I broke through, otherwise this would have been troublesome."

"But it was worth it."

Chen Chuyang looked at the blood in his hands. A large mass of blood—all treasure.

After repairing the Formation, Chen Chuyang did not dare to test it again, nor did he dare to steal blood again.

This much blood was enough for him to use for a very long time; if his cultivation was insufficient, then he would wait until it was sufficient and come again.

"Time to go back. This place is not suitable for staying long."

The little carp was still fast asleep; that bit of blood had not yet been fully digested.

Chen Chuyang scooped it up, put away the little carp, and returned by the same route.

All the way back, he laid down Formations along the way.

Returning to the cave below Longshe Shan, after the last Formation was set up, Chen Chuyang looked at the few remaining spirit stones and wanted to cry.

"My spirit stones."

"I'll have to get Father to compensate me properly."

Chen Yuan: "..." You really are my good son.