Chapter 351: Dual Cores

"Top-grade, flawless—this is the Peerless Golden Core!"

"Magic power purified to absolute purity, perfect, unblemished, and leak-free—the legendary seed of Nascent Soul!"

Qin Ming was ecstatic, but now was not the time to celebrate.

When a cultivator breaks through the Golden Core realm, it is no different from breaking through Foundation Establishment.

One must pass through the three trials: magic power, blood qi, and spiritual sense.

The Golden Core is the union of the cultivator's essence, energy, and spirit; if any one fails to meet the condition,

the already-formed Golden Core will collapse, rendering all prior effort useless.

As for Qin Ming's blood qi, there was no question—it was more than sufficient.

His sea of magic power had already formed a flawless Golden Core; the magic power trial was naturally no issue.

The final trial was the spiritual sense trial! The stronger the Golden Core, the more its true energy instinctively resists the cultivator's spiritual sense.

If the spiritual sense cannot enter the Golden Core to draw forth its primordial qi,

the core formation will ultimately fail.

Yet Qin Ming's spiritual sense strength, long enhanced by the term, had already reached the level of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator.

The spiritual sense trial, naturally, posed no major problem.

Qin Ming immediately unleashed his spiritual sense, surging forcefully into his flawless Golden Core!

BOOM! His powerful spiritual sense entered the Golden Core without resistance, as if water flowing naturally, beginning to draw in its primordial qi.

Suddenly,

Qin Ming's spiritual sense underwent another transformation; its vast power extended outward relentlessly.

One hundred and fifty li, two hundred li, three hundred li.

At this moment, his spiritual sense strength reached a three-hundred-li radius, rivaling the terrifying spiritual sense of a late-stage Golden Core cultivator.

Qin Ming's flawless Golden Core stabilized completely, radiating a mesmerizing five-colored aura.

In addition,

as his spiritual sense entered the Golden Core's interior, Qin Ming was stunned to discover that the silver rune formed by his life-plant, the Evergreen Vine, now lay atop a thread of true fire within the Golden Core.

It then transformed into a silver seed.

That orange flame was none other than the Three Pure Fires, stronger than the primordial true fire of Foundation Establishment!

The appearance of the silver seed caused a sense of ancient, time-worn energy to swirl around Qin Ming's flawless Golden Core.

"So extraordinary..."

BOOM CRACK!

At that moment,

above Wangyue Island, the spiritual energy vortex dispersed, and a storm of thunderclouds rapidly gathered.

Qin Ming looked up at the sky, his expression grave, preparing to face the Golden Core Tribulation.

Yet half a day passed, and no lightning struck—instead, it seemed to be brewing something deeper.

Dark clouds loomed overhead, blotting out sun and sky.

The entire sky over Wangyue Lake turned pitch black, filling all with the oppressive dread of impending doom.

Beyond Lingdao,

even Nanlan Xi, Wei Wuya, and the Ten-Thousand-Year Ancestor—all three Golden Core cultivators—had retreated far away at the sight of this terrifying tribulation cloud.

The Devouring Rat, along with the Blackwater Crocodile and Silver Wing, had fled far off; its whiskers trembled slightly. "Oh my! What tribulation is Master undergoing?"

"Such power—this is a sign of heaven's envy!"

"No wonder he's the legendary world-chosen one—unbelievable, truly unbelievable!"

The surrounding cultivators, under this overwhelming heavenly might, were trembling with fear.

Foundation Establishment cultivators under this heavenly pressure found their magic power surging uncontrollably within their meridians.

Each hurried to suppress the turmoil and flew away from the area.

Even low-grade Qi Refining cultivators, unable to stand, lost control of their spiritual energy and tumbled into the lake.

In the darkened sky, thunder roared; golden tribulation lightning flickered unpredictably within the storm cloud spanning dozens of li.

"My god!!" "Is this even a Golden Core Tribulation?"

"I'd believe it's a Nascent Soul elder undergoing tribulation."

"Such terrifying lightning—if even a single thread touched you, you'd be reduced to ash!"

"Will the Lord of Wangyue Island survive this?"

"This is hopeless..."

Wei Wuya's eyes widened in shock. "What kind of tribulation is this?"

"Why have I never heard of it before?"

Nanlan Xi and the Ten-Thousand-Year Ancestor, who had already been stunned by Qin Ming's formation of a top-grade Golden Core,

now realized the real spectacle was yet to come.

This cataclysmic storm cloud exceeded even their understanding.

"I hope Brother Qin can survive this tribulation."

On her face, Nanlan Xi True Person flickered a trace of worry—facing such a tribulation, even she had no confidence.

Nearby, Gu Qingzhao and Huangfu Qi of Jingxue Pavilion had arrived the moment they heard the news.

But their speed was no match for the Golden Core elders.

When she saw the black tribulation cloud engulfing dozens of li over Wangyue Island, her exquisite face paled; she murmured in concern: "Brother Qin..."

BOOM CRACK! After half a day of brewing, the tribulation lightning finally fell! Qin Ming's eyes hardened with resolve, preparing to meet the tribulation—when suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind.

"Divine Punishment Golden Lightning... I haven't seen this in tens of thousands of years."

"You truly have immense fortune."

Spoke the spirit of the artifact, Jin Lingzi.

"Who says that? My achievements today come from my own hard work and perseverance!"

"As for fortune—it's all just illusion."

Jin Lingzi: "..."

"Why are you speaking now? I'm in the middle of a critical moment—speak quickly!" said Qin Ming.

Jin Lingzi said: "Didn't I say earlier that once you broke through to Golden Core, I'd exchange the Heaven Demon Body Refinement Scripture to you?"

Qin Ming's heart stirred; he frowned. "Are you giving it to me now because of the tribulation?"

"Precisely. The hardest trial for demonic races is this heavenly tribulation. The Heaven Demon Body Refinement Scripture's method of forming the body-core draws lightning into the body, refining the flesh to absolute hardness and strength, unlocking potential, and forging a physical true core."

"Once this trial is passed, the body-core forged by tribulation lightning will render you invulnerable to all."

"I didn't give you the scripture earlier because you hadn't reached that stage—even if I had, it would've been useless."

"But I didn't expect you to reach Golden Core so quickly—and to form a flawless Golden Core."

"In our era, few cultivators could achieve this."

"Lightning into the body? That's insane!" Qin Ming was stunned.

Jin Lingzi said: "Of course not by brute force—there is a complete set of incantations."

"I will now transmit to you all the subsequent techniques of the Heaven Demon Body Refinement Scripture. As for the exchange condition, I'll leave it pending—I'll tell you when I've decided."

"Done!" Qin Ming agreed without hesitation.

Then,

Suddenly,

A torrent of information flooded into Qin Ming's mind.

All subsequent techniques of the demonic holy scripture, Heaven Demon Body Refinement Scripture, appeared—even those leading to Nascent Soul.

Qin Ming didn't hesitate; he immediately focused on the method for forging the physical true core.

His body had already reached the True Ultimate Form; the required blood qi was naturally sufficient.

Qin Ming made no further thought—if so, he might as well finish it all today and forge the physical true core as well!

BOOM CRACK! At that moment,

Above, the long-brewing golden, terrifying tribulation lightning finally crashed down—carrying a destructive aura, blazing with brilliant golden light, splitting the dark sky! (End of Chapter)