Chapter 225: 225. Chapter 225: Is This Dan Formation or Nascent Soul?

225. Chapter 225: Is this Dan Formation or Nascent Soul?

Character: Liyang Mountain's main peak.

When the Dan Formation phenomenon could no longer be concealed and began spreading toward the city, outside Xiao Zhangqing's cave dwelling, it was no longer only Ancient Sect Patriarch, Su Wushuang and a few other Dan Formation Realists observing.

More pseudo‑Dan cultivators, even late‑stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, hurried over, watching from a distance.

Any cultivator with lofty ambitions on the path of cultivation, hoping one day to stand on the true upper echelons of the Cultivation World, especially Foundation Establishment cultivators from the "cloud‑above" of Da Yu, were observing carefully.

Although merely observing offers little direct benefit to one's own cultivation, if one later truly forms a Dan, it still counts as gaining some experience.

"Who exactly is forming the Dan? How can it be so smooth and seamless?"

"In just three days it progressed from crystal condensation to Dan transformation, crossing the hardest stage of the Dan Formation process…"

"Now, in less than a day, the Dan Formation radiance has already appeared?"

Watching the spectacular radiance rise above Xiao Zhangqing's cave, faint celestial music drifting in, both the Dan Formation Realists who have already sailed past countless peaks and the Foundation Establishment cultivators still striving upward were stunned, unable to comprehend the scene.

The appearance of Dan Formation radiance signifies that the cultivator has not only passed the most perilous step, but also that the incipient Dan has been refined to a certain degree, truly solidifying the Dan and becoming a Dan Formation Realist!

Even if the Dan Formation phenomenon halts here and cannot advance further, it still means at least a jade‑white Golden Core can be condensed, rather than a "dead" pseudo‑Dan!

In other words.

The mysterious cultivator breaking through inside Xiao Zhangqing's cave, from the initial Dan Formation phenomenon, in less than five days has already been confirmed to become a true Dan Formation Realist! "So fast!"

"Even a prodigy of Heavenly Spirit Root, I've never heard anyone this fast!"

"More importantly, the Dan Formation phenomenon not only hasn't stopped, but is rapidly expanding!"

"At this rate, it may even surpass the Ancient Sect Patriarch, refining the Golden Core to the utmost, achieving the highest‑quality perfect Golden Core, flawless and complete!"

"We must watch closely to see if this truly becomes the first perfect Golden Core in Character: Liyang Immortal City's history!"

The outside clamor, Xiao Zhangqing remains unaware.

"Phew!"

With the Dan Formation proceeding so smoothly, Xiao Zhangqing's mood relaxed considerably again.

His profound foundation makes it understandable that he doesn't need to ingest a Condensing True Pill.

After all, in Da Yu's Cultivation World history, there are records of some naturally gifted prodigies confidently forming Golden Cores without taking Condensing True Pills.

What intrigues Xiao Zhangqing now is that his incipient Dan, upon just forming, skipped the pseudo‑Dan and jade‑white stages and entered a phase where golden light blossomed—what does that signify? What differences will it ultimately bring? Until now, Xiao Zhangqing had studied every step of Dan Formation meticulously, understanding in detail how predecessors broke through.

He can say with certainty that no one has ever shown sudden golden light at the incipient Dan stage.

Even in all recorded legends, none have seen it.

"No rush, take it slow, strive for perfection at every step."

Xiao Zhangqing's powerful Soul Transformation carefully manipulates the wildly surging spiritual energy flooding into his body, converting and purifying it into mana, refining the inner Dan already formed in his dantian.

Continuously collapsing, filling, collapsing again, filling again…

The Golden Core's density grew ever higher, emitting more and more golden radiance, increasingly dazzling.

He couldn't tell how long had passed.

The Golden Core in Xiao Zhangqing's dantian had long since transformed into a flawless, perfectly complete, plump Golden Core, achieving the ultimate goal of all Foundation Establishment cultivators in today's Cultivation World.

Yet Xiao Zhangqing's breakthrough had not yet ended.

The spiritual energy of the third‑tier spiritual vein still formed a massive vortex pouring into his body, the Golden Core still rotating and being refined.

Meanwhile, the Dan‑induced radiant cloud in the outside world had already surpassed the limit that Ancient Sect Patriarch originally reached.

When Ancient Sect Patriarch formed his Dan, the phenomenon produced radiant clouds covering a full eight and a half li radius! Even the highest‑grade flawless Golden Core only covered nine li.

Thus after Ancient Sect Patriarch completed his Golden Core, he shook the entire Character: Liyang Immortal City, being regarded as the true successor to Character: Liyang True Lord, making many factions eyeing Character: Liyang Immortal City uneasy.

The radiant clouds above Xiao Zhangqing's cave rose with unstoppable momentum, reaching nine li in just a few days. While many observers sighed in awe, believing Character: Liyang Immortal City finally had a cultivator capable of forming the highest‑grade perfect Golden Core, the spiritual‑energy radiance ultimately exceeded nine li, extending to ten li!

"How could this be possible?"

Ancient Sect Patriarch was indeed a bit flustered now.

Radiant clouds of nine li represent a flawless Golden Core; he felt a slight envy but could accept it, after all he was not lacking.

But surpassing the limit to ten li—what does that mean? "Valley Master Su, do you know what's happening? Does Baihua Valley have any record of Dan Formation radiant clouds reaching ten li?" Ancient Sect Patriarch asked Su Wushuang.

Although Baihua Valley now lacks the grandeur and status of Character: Liyang Immortal City.

Yet as a Golden Core sect with nearly a millennium of inheritance, its internal records are incomparable to those of Character: Liyang Immortal City.

Su Wushuang's icy face showed a hint of surprise, her autumn‑like eyes fixed on the sky's radiance, replying, "The breakthrough phenomenon can indeed produce ten‑li radiance…"

Ancient Sect Patriarch widened his eyes, about to speak.

The next moment Su Wushuang continued, "But only when forming a Nascent Soul! In the thousands‑year history of Da Yu's Cultivation World, no Golden Core condensation has ever produced ten‑li radiance!"

Ancient Sect Patriarch was left speechless.

The phenomenon when achieving a Nascent Soul True Lord, you're completely wrong!

What we see now is clearly the Dan Formation aura and phenomenon, how can it be compared to a Nascent Soul True Lord?

One must know that breaking through to a Nascent Soul True Lord isn't just a simple breakthrough; it requires tribulation!

Thus tribulating a Nascent Soul is more than ten times harder than condensing a Golden Core! Among Dan Formation cultivators, not even ten, let alone a hundred, could ever become a Nascent Soul True Lord.

"Forming a Dan doesn't require tribulation…"

Ancient Sect Patriarch finished muttering, and the next instant was stunned.

He lifted his head, staring fixedly at the endless void above, and at some point the radiant clouds suddenly solidified, as if frozen.

And above the radiance, dark clouds began to gather!

"What is this…"

Boom!

As if the heavens were ripped open, a terrifying thunderbolt, like the sky's wrath, slammed down toward Xiao Zhangqing's cave.

「Crossing the tribulation? 」

……

……

「What, Thunder Tribulation? 」

Xiao Zhangqing sensed the perfectly round crimson Golden Core in his dantian finally showing signs of halting, having reached the utmost.

He also thought he could fully relax, that the breakthrough was finished.

Soon he felt the heaven‑and‑earth spiritual energy surge even more wildly, a purple thunder streaking through layers of void and lashing toward him.

Before this thunder, a clarity rose in his mind—whether it be a formation, the third‑tier puppet guarding the path beside him, the Second Avatar, or the countless spells and divine abilities, none could stop it.

He must rely on himself to bear it! The purple thunder has already locked onto him.

If he bears it, he will gain a tremendous opportunity.

If he cannot bear it…

「No, it's impossible not to bear it! 」

Xiao Zhangqing let out a roar in his heart, rose directly from his cross‑legged seated position, and with his sturdy third‑tier mortal body, faced the thunder's baptism head‑on.

Only… why would core formation summon a Thunder Tribulation? (End of chapter)