Chapter 311 : The Emergence of the Proto-Core Realm

Chapter 311: The Emergence of the Proto-Core Realm

There were extremely many cultivators inside the Lecture Hall. With a True Monarch present, almost no one dared to speak loudly or converse openly.

Although Xu Ziqing and Xu Lingling were only at the Foundation Establishment Realm, and their divine sense transmissions were nearly imperceptible, they still attracted some attention.

“Students of Tianyan Immortal Sect?”

Yue Chenfeng slightly raised his eyes, a trace of curiosity arising in his heart.

Today was the first time his Master’s closed-door disciple had opened the Path of the Golden Core to teach. As the senior brother of the Evergreen Lineage, he naturally had to suppress the atmosphere and keep order, lest some cultivators cause trouble.

Yet the appearance of Xu Ziqing and Xu Lingling truly exceeded his expectations.

Within the Yuqing Immortal Sect, there were countless proud daughters of heaven with peerless grace. Why would his junior brother choose female cultivators from an outside sect with merely ordinary aptitude?

Some Golden Core prodigies also shifted their gazes slightly, secretly speculating about the origins of Xu Ziqing and Xu Lingling.

“It should be here.”

Following the seat marked on the invitation letter, Xu Ziqing led her best friend to two vacant prayer cushions and sat down without ceremony.

“The spot Beiwu reserved for us is really good. We can see the Dao Platform at a glance,” Xu Ziqing whispered into her friend’s ear.

Xu Lingling appeared somewhat restrained, her cheeks slightly flushed, cautiously looking around like a small hamster.

“Hello.”

Noticing that a female cultivator of refined temperament and enviable beauty was looking at her, Xu Lingling softly greeted her.

Hearing this, Ye Xinya gave a slight nod, smiling gently as she took the initiative to avert her gaze.

For two Foundation Establishment cultivators to sit in the same row as her, they must have an extraordinary relationship with Chen Beiwu.

At that thought, Ye Xinya smiled warmly.

To her, this was good news.

She was not afraid that Chen Beiwu was fond of beauty; she was only afraid that he had no interest in beauty at all.

Even setting aside the Lingyuan Ye Clan, the four maidservant sisters who served her closely were all first-rate beauties, their appearance, figure, and temperament no less than these two women.

At that moment, the entrance to the Lecture Hall dimmed slightly as a slender figure appeared holding an invitation letter.

Her posture was upright, her eyes bright. Clad in a neat moon-white Daoist robe, she seemed like a beauty who had stepped out of an ancient scroll painting.

This female cultivator’s cultivation was not high—only Late-Stage Foundation Establishment. Logically speaking, in a Lecture Hall where Golden Core cultivators were as common as dogs and True Monarchs sat everywhere, she should have been entirely inconspicuous.

Yet the invitation in her hand—and the direction she walked—were exactly the same as the two women before her.

‘Who is this woman?’

‘Don’t recognize her. Probably another female cultivator from an outside sect.’

‘Look at her direction—she’s heading to the front rows!’

Sensing the gazes of the surrounding cultivators, Chen Qin subconsciously tensed up and walked to a prayer cushion not far from Xu Ziqing and the others before sitting down.

This was terrifying!

She had thought it would simply be listening to a lecture and catching up with old friends afterward. She never expected Chen Beiwu to create such a grand spectacle.

There were over a hundred True Persons and True Monarchs attending in person!

Fortunately, she had not brought Senior Hu. Otherwise, the secret on her body would certainly have been exposed.

‘Even the childhood sweetheart has come.’ Xu Ziqing pursed her lips, unsurprised.

“Clang—!”

When a clear and resonant chime of jade suddenly echoed through the hall, all cultivators turned their eyes toward the entrance.

Under countless gazes, a figure slowly stepped forward and ascended the Dao Platform.

A teacher transmitted the Dao and resolved doubts; dressing too casually would seem insufficiently solemn.

Thus today Chen Beiwu did not wear his usual clothes. Instead, he changed into the Daoist robe of a true disciple of the Yuqing Immortal Sect, appearing especially dignified.

Standing still at the center of the Dao Platform, Chen Beiwu calmly swept his gaze over the dense crowd below, without the slightest pause.

‘Good bearing.’

‘Indeed quite a handsome and talented young man!’

‘A pity he comes from humble origins…’

Several Nascent Soul True Monarchs silently evaluated him as they watched his composed expression.

“Fellow Daoists and seniors, I am Chen Beiwu.”

Chen Beiwu’s mind stirred slightly. He did not immediately begin Opening the Hall to Teach the Law, but first gave a simple self-introduction.

Then his tone shifted as he went straight to the point:

“Since the ancient era, countless sages and mighty figures have braved thorns and dangers, comprehended heaven and earth, and opened the path of cultivation for our generation. They established the great realms of Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Divine Transformation… and more.

“This is the foundation of countless generations. We all benefit from their grace and walk this broad road.”

His words, filled with reverence for the Immortal Alliance’s forebears, drew subtle nods from those present.

Indeed, without countless human ancestors comprehending heaven and earth, imitating the Beast Race in absorbing the spiritual mechanism of heaven and earth to create the path of cultivation, humanity would long ago have become blood food for the Beast Race.

Yet some were puzzled. Was he not supposed to be speaking on the Path of the Golden Core today? Why suddenly speak of the achievements of the ancestors?

“However, the great achievements of our predecessors were not meant for us to rigidly follow old rules and confine ourselves within drawn boundaries!”

Chen Beiwu’s voice suddenly rose, sharp with the vigor of carrying the past forward and opening the future.

“The Great Dao is fifty; Heaven derives forty-nine, and man escapes with one. All things possess a single thread of change. The Dao path is the same.”

“The Immortal Alliance’s forebears, based on the wondrous laws of the Immortal Dao, opened the supreme cultivation method of borrowing beasts to cultivate. Thus Immortal Alliance cultivators may borrow the power of their Companion Beast, compensate for their own shortcomings, and together comprehend the Great Dao!”

With these words, he pulled everyone’s thoughts back to that magnificent era when the sages dared to pioneer and sacrifice themselves.

Some Golden Core prodigies even showed pride on their faces, no longer dwelling on why Chen Beiwu kept mentioning the Immortal Alliance’s ancestors.

But certain Nascent Soul True Monarchs, discerning the deeper implication, felt their hearts stir with an unbelievable premonition.

Sure enough, Chen Beiwu paused slightly before uttering words that shattered stone and startled heaven.

“I am but mediocre. While at the Foundation Establishment Realm, I comprehended the Yuqing Nine Revolutions Yuanshi Pill Canon and gained some insight. Following the example of the predecessors, upon the foundation of the great Dao they opened, I have taken one step further and opened a new realm.”

“This realm lies at the crucial pass between the peak of Foundation Establishment and the initial condensation of the Golden Core. It differs from complete Foundation Establishment. I name it—the Proto-Core Realm!”

The moment these words fell, the air within the entire Lecture Hall seemed to freeze solid.

Not only did the Golden Core prodigies feel their minds sway and their scalps go numb, but even the Nascent Soul True Monarchs present found their breathing momentarily halted by those three words—Proto-Core Realm.

After a brief silence, suppressed commotion began to ripple through the hall.

With Nascent Soul True Monarchs presiding, no one dared to shout or disrupt the order.

Yet the countless intertwining fluctuations of divine sense and whispered exchanges surged outward like a rising tide.

‘Opening a new realm?’

Chen Qin stood frozen, her mind blank.

With Senior Hu’s assistance, she had believed that one day she would be able to catch up to Chen Beiwu’s footsteps. At the very least, she would not be left so far behind that she could not even walk by his side.

But even in her wildest dreams, she had never imagined that her childhood sweetheart would be such a terrifying genius!

“What did Beiwu just say?”

Xu Ziqing froze slightly, turning to look at her best friend, doubting her own ears.

To open up a brand-new realm within the Foundation Establishment stage—what kind of concept was that? Even a Divine Transformation True Venerable would hardly dare to claim such an achievement.

“Beiwu said he opened a realm before the Golden Core, named the Proto-Core Realm.”

Xu Lingling looked at Chen Beiwu with admiration in her eyes.

Opening a new realm was astonishing beyond measure. After today, Chen Beiwu’s name would surely shake the entire Immortal Alliance.

However, cultivators like Chen Qin, Xu Ziqing, and Xu Lingling who directly chose to believe him were, after all, a very small minority.

Quite a few hot-blooded Golden Core prodigies who already disliked Chen Beiwu now revealed undisguised doubt and disdain in their eyes.

A handsome young Golden Core cultivator even spoke bluntly:

“Hmph, seeking attention. Opening a new realm—how could it be so simple?

“Since ancient times, how many stunning geniuses of the Immortal Alliance have tried to perfect the Borrowing Beasts Cultivation system? In the end, they merely made small repairs within the framework established by their predecessors.”

“To open a brand-new realm—can it be done simply by giving it a name and having a bit of insight?”

“Without a complete theoretical foundation, without a stable and reliable advancement method, without verification by a large number of cultivators within the existing Borrowing Beasts Cultivation system of the Immortal Alliance, the so-called ‘Proto-Core Realm’ is nothing but a castle in the air.”

Hearing this, several Golden Core prodigies nodded slightly in agreement, though they did not openly mock him.

In the absence of利益纠葛, even if they did not acknowledge Chen Beiwu’s claim of opening a new realm, they would not foolishly rush to offend a rising star for no reason.

But there were also Golden Core prodigies in the Lecture Hall such as Shen Lingxing, Yu Zhaohua, Mo Qingshuang, and Ye Xinya who revealed curiosity and contemplation, their eyes fixed tightly on Chen Beiwu.

They had all interacted with him before and understood his temperament to varying degrees.

‘It should not be empty words.’

Anticipation flickered in Shen Lingxing’s eyes.

One who could comprehend the Yuqing Nine Revolutions Yuanshi Pill Canon and forge the Yuanshi Golden Core was already extraordinarily gifted, capable of breaking conventional logic—far beyond the imagination of ordinary cultivators.

That also meant it was not impossible for Chen Beiwu, relying on Yuqing Immortal Arts, to glimpse the mysteries of a realm that countless Immortal Alliance predecessors had failed to perceive.

His intuition told him that today’s lecture might even benefit his future Nascent Soul formation.

‘Truly formidable!’

Yu Zhaohua’s beautiful eyes sharpened slightly, finally understanding why her mother wished to matchmake her with Chen Beiwu.

Even an Innate Dao Body had its limits.

Yu Zhaohua had once cultivated the Yuqing Nine Revolutions Yuanshi Pill Canon, yet after exhausting all efforts, she still failed to fully traverse that supreme Great Dao and could only convert to another Titled Golden Core method of slightly lesser potential.

Yet Chen Beiwu, after fully traversing the Yuanshi Great Dao, had deduced further and opened a new realm. Such comprehension and aptitude might already rival an Innate Dao Body.

If she were to become Dao Companions with Chen Beiwu, and if their future offspring inherited their aptitude smoothly, perhaps they could even aspire to Dao Venerable status.

But so what?

Her hands clenched into fists beneath her sleeves. There was not the slightest trace of romantic affection in her heart—only surging battle intent.

The more terrifying Chen Beiwu’s displayed aptitude became, the stronger Yu Zhaohua’s fighting spirit burned.

Yet before engaging in Dueling Contention, she wished even more to hear what exactly the Proto-Core Realm was, and what kind of wondrous profundity it possessed.

‘How can he be so alluring!’

Ye Xinya looked at Chen Beiwu, now the focus of countless gazes. Beneath her Daoist robe, her full thighs pressed together subtly, fascination flashing through her eyes.

There was a saying: heroes fall for beauties. The reverse was equally true.

Born into the Lingyuan Ye Clan, Ye Xinya had seen countless prodigies of the Immortal Alliance, yet before Chen Beiwu, she still could not help being stirred by his words, actions, and aura. Her heart fluttered uncontrollably.

At this moment, only the Nascent Soul True Monarchs seated at the jade desks maintained expressions as still as ancient wells.

But in private, vast divine senses like surging seas were already communicating intensely.

‘The Proto-Core Realm… If what Chen Beiwu says is true, it will draw the attention of the entire Immortal Alliance. Its impact must be assessed immediately.’

‘This Proto-Core Realm concerns matters of great importance. It must be reported at once to the Sect Master.’

‘Transmit my decree—since a new realm has emerged, the core disciples of the clan are to temporarily suspend attempts at breaking through to the Golden Core Realm.’

‘…’

These Nascent Soul True Monarchs, who had lived for hundreds or even thousands of years, were far steadier than the young prodigies. Yet they also deeply understood the heaven-shaking value behind opening a new realm.

Even before the matter was fully settled, they were already transmitting messages to their respective sects, clans, and affiliated forces.

“Buzz!”

In the next instant, waves of divine sense far surpassing the Nascent Soul level descended with overwhelming presence.

The Nascent Soul True Monarchs within the Lecture Hall sensed it and their expressions changed slightly. Almost in unison, they restrained all their auras, their demeanors turning solemn and respectful.

Chen Beiwu’s opening of a new realm had indeed drawn the attention of the upper echelons of the Immortal Sect!

Not only the Nascent Soul True Monarchs—Shen Lingxing, Yu Zhaohua, and other top-ranked Golden Core prodigies on the Yuxu Rankings also gradually sensed the anomaly within the Lecture Hall. The spiritual mechanism of heaven and earth in this area had become unusually heavy. They understood that a divine will beyond True Monarch level had descended.

In an instant, the entire Lecture Hall became so silent that a falling needle could be heard. The vast majority of cultivators held their breath, not daring to speak casually.

With a Divine Transformation True Venerable’s divine sense descending, whether Chen Beiwu’s claim was true or false, it was not for Golden Core True Persons like them to question.

‘Excellent. Everything proceeds exactly as I anticipated.’

Possessing the Nine-Breath Chaos Divine Ability, Chen Beiwu was the first to detect the change within the hall. Knowing his tactic of striking first had succeeded in attracting major figures, his heart settled as he continued.

“Now that the realm has been clarified, it must be proven by method. Otherwise, it is rootless water and source-less wood.”

“Next, I will explain what the Taiyi Five Directions Nine Revolutions Core-Stabilizing Marvelous Method is.”

As soon as Chen Beiwu finished speaking, some Golden Core prodigies revealed puzzled expressions.

What kind of Core Formation method was the Taiyi Five Directions Nine Revolutions Core-Stabilizing Marvelous Method? Why had they never heard of it?

However, the Nascent Soul True Monarchs present were all direct lineage members of the Yuqing Immortal Sect and thoroughly familiar with the sect’s Core Formation inheritance. They naturally knew this Taiyi Five Directions Nine Revolutions Core-Stabilizing Marvelous Method was not part of Yuqing’s heritage, but an entirely unprecedented Core Formation method. Their interest immediately surged.

Observing the reactions of the crowd, Chen Beiwu smiled calmly.

“Fellow Daoists and seniors have likely never heard of the Taiyi Five Directions Nine Revolutions Core-Stabilizing Marvelous Method.

“That is correct. This method was self-created by me, integrating insights from the Yuanshi Pill Canon. It is a foundational Core Formation method. When cultivated to great completion, it allows one to break through the peak of Foundation Establishment and condense a Proto-Core.”

“You may have doubts—what is a Proto-Core?”

“A Proto-Core is not a true Golden Core. It possesses no profound abilities and cannot, like a Golden Core cultivator, provide an endless supply of Earthly Sha True Qi.

“However, it contains the foundation of the Five Elements and the intent of Taiyi. Its potential is boundless. It is equivalent to a high-quality ‘Core Embryo.’ It allows cultivators to experience the profundity of the Golden Core in advance, laying a powerful foundation for future Core Formation, increasing the probability of successful Core Formation, and even raising the chances of forging a High-Grade Golden Core—or even a Titled Golden Core.”

Upon hearing this, disbelief flashed through the eyes of the vast majority of cultivators.

What was this?

This Proto-Core Realm not only possessed the effect of a Tribulation-Breaking Golden Core, but could also help cultivators forge a First-Grade Golden Core and even a Titled Golden Core?!