Chapter 165: Five Elements Golden Core, Achieved!

Golden Core is not something that can be achieved overnight.

Even though Yunhe had reached perfection in Foundation Establishment, his spiritual power was nearly overflowing, and continued cultivation brought no further benefit, he still forced himself into a cultivation state.

It was precisely through this cultivation that his originally somewhat impatient, quick‑gain mindset gradually became calm.

According to the Golden Core insights left by Huaxin, he knew that forming a Golden Core could not be done in ten days or half a month; the entire process would last three to five years, or even longer.

The exact time required varies from person to person and also changes with the preparations a cultivator makes for forming a Golden Core.

During this period, extreme joy or sorrow in mind is most taboo, and fighting is forbidden; one needs an extremely stable and tranquil environment.

But Yunhe himself hadn't expected it.

Originally, he merely forced himself into cultivation to calm his mind; as his mindset settled, he actually felt that the second layer of the Thousand Insects Myriad Worms Technique, which had shackled him for decades, had loosened!

This left him momentarily startled, yet not entirely surprised.

After all, he had been stuck at the second layer of the Thousand Insects Myriad Worms Technique for at least ten years, and during those ten years he had never slackened in cultivating it; even the toughest bottleneck should have been worn away by now.

Moreover, his divine sense talent, thanks to having two bodies, is naturally far superior to that of ordinary cultivators; even cultivators with divine sense talent may not match him, and in cultivating the Thousand Insects Myriad Worms Technique he possesses unparalleled talent.

Therefore, after a brief hesitation, Yunhe decided to seize the opportunity and break through the bottleneck in one go, first cultivating the Thousand Insects Myriad Worms Technique to the third layer!

The stronger one's divine sense, the greater the help it undoubtedly provides when a cultivator breaks through to Golden Core.

Just that.

Yunhe himself hadn't expected that either.

His cultivation of the Thousand Insects Myriad Worms Technique actually lasted a full fifteen years!

He spent five years to successfully wear through the second layer's barrier, and then another ten years to barely bring the third layer of the Thousand Insects Myriad Worms Technique to minor accomplishment.

But when Yunhe next used his divine sense, knowing the time spent, he realized.

Worth it!

Very much worth it!

He now had greater confidence in breaking through to Golden Core!

Secluded cultivation is something every cultivator will experience and must undergo.

As for Yunhe's secluded cultivation, it was very important to him, but obviously no one among the cultivators of Cloud Palace City would care.

Until

One day, twenty years into Yunhe's seclusion, above his cave abode on Heaven Pillar Mountain, dark clouds suddenly pressed down, silver snakes writhed, and the sky abruptly changed.

At the same time, all the spiritual energy wandering within a hundred‑li radius of Heaven Palace City surged wildly toward Cave No. 37, Area 4 of Heaven Pillar Mountain, forming a massive, visible vortex of spiritual energy.

Startled, all nearby cultivators, whether residents or visitors, rushed out of their abodes or halted their steps, gazing far toward the place where the heavenly phenomenon erupted.

"Golden Core!! A cultivator is forming a Golden Core!!"

"Someone else is forming a Golden Core on Heaven Pillar Mountain again!"

"This Golden Core heavenly phenomenon is a bit huge. Fortunately, it's not the first time someone has formed a Golden Core on Heaven Pillar Mountain; the Cloud Upper Palace has already treated the mountain's cave formations, otherwise someone currently in seclusion might be forcibly interrupted."

Many cultivators were watching this scene.

Foundation Establishment cultivators who had not yet formed a Golden Core showed various expressions of envy, jealousy, longing, and bewilderment, of course envy being the most common.

Even those who had already formed a Golden Core couldn't help but show a hint of astonishment at the surprise and wonder of this great Golden Core phenomenon.

As for Qi‑stage cultivators who hadn't even reached Foundation Establishment, those active nearby couldn't even lift their heads to look up; they froze in place, feeling the spiritual energy around them being massively drained, as if they couldn't catch their breath.

At the same time, some cultivators of Golden Core stage and above in the city also sensed this to some extent, involuntarily showing various thought‑provoking expressions.

No matter how one puts it.

Even if there were many Golden Core cultivators within Heaven Palace City, this heavenly phenomenon would inevitably draw attention and likely become after‑dinner chatter for a period to come.

And at this moment.

The focus of attention, Yunhe at the center of the spiritual energy vortex.

He had spent fifteen years cultivating the Third Layer of the Thousand Insects Myriad Worms Technique to minor accomplishment.

Yunhe simply stopped rushing, and spent nearly another five years using the Nine‑Curved Gourd to temper his flesh to a strength comparable to a mid‑level second‑stage demon beast.

He brought every possible preparation to the utmost limit.

Then an unknown amount of time passed.

Seated inside a chamber where the Gathering Spirit Array and Gathering Spirit Pearl had raised the spiritual energy to the level of a middle‑grade third‑stage spirit vein, Yunhe suddenly opened his eyes, which had been tightly shut for who knows how many ages.

In his pupils, white, green, black, red, and yellow light flowed, appearing both as distinctly separated five colors and as a single unified hue.

Mutual generation, mutual restriction!

At this moment, Yunhe felt that his divine sense, spiritual power, and physical body had all been adjusted to their peak!

He no longer hesitated; everything seemed as natural as water finding its channel, and the method of the Great Longevity Great Five Elements True Scripture for the Golden Core stage ran into his mind as if it were moving on its own.

"The Five Elements give rise to Yin and Yang; Yin and Yang mingle and fuse the Five Elements; Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements, embrace the origin and return to one; Dragon Tiger Golden Core, unite!"

Dragon Tiger refers to Yin and Yang.

There are actually many ways to condense a Golden Core, and the essence‑condensing Golden Core method of the Great Longevity Great Five Elements True Scripture is precisely this Yin‑Yang Five Elements united embrace of the elixir.

Moreover, there are many other methods such as the Heavenly Gang Earthly Sha United Embrace Elixir Method and the Water Fire Refining Golden Core Method; most, though different paths, converge on refining Yin and Yang to embrace the elixir.

However, the Five Elements and Yin and Yang complement each other.

The Five Elements must unite with Yin and Yang, and discussions of Yin and Yang must also encompass the Five Elements.

Therefore, the Yin‑Yang Five Elements united embrace of the elixir is more in accord with the Dao.

Thus far.

Yunhe's mind was clear and his spirit bright.

The Golden Core process formally began!

Without hesitation, he gulped down the prepared Golden Core spiritual materials and elixir in one breath, focusing entirely on the changes of Golden Core formation.

Like Foundation Establishment, Golden Core also has the three gates of essence, energy, and spirit.

This first level is naturally undoubtedly also the fleshly body level.

Spiritual Qi comparable to the density of a Third Stage middle-grade spiritual vein poured entirely into Yunhe's body, instantly causing his body to emit a crackling frying-bean sound, and his meridians, limbs, and bones were instantly filled with dense spiritual Qi, his whole body seeming as if it would burst at any moment.

And in his qi sea dantian, which already showed signs of solidification, the ball-shaped liquid mana began to spin wildly at this moment.

Compress, absorb, compress, absorb, repeating endlessly.

Yunhe also let out a muffled groan, feeling like a dried sponge frantically sucking in spiritual Qi, and like an overinflated balloon that could burst at any moment.

But fortunately, his body, after constant forging day and night, has become comparable to a mid-Second Stage demon beast, far stronger than ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators by who knows how many times; if he cannot endure, who could break through Golden Core?

Hum—

At the same time.

Yunhe's qi sea dantian's "Minor Five Elements Spirit Body" also finally began to function, the five elements generating and dividing yin and yang, around his liquid mana appeared two constantly rotating, compressing five-colored rings, which not only helped him draw off the excess spiritual Qi in his meridians and body more quickly, but also helped further compress the liquid mana.

Dragon and Tiger Yin and Yang, harmonized into one.

At this moment.

The Golden Core spiritual substance he had swallowed also began to take effect, accelerating his absorption of spiritual Qi and the compression of his mana, while simultaneously repairing his fleshly body.

Even though intense pain continued within his body, Yunhe remained unmoved, merely following the "Great Longevity Great Five Elements True Scripture's" condensation method, he formed seals again.

Bang!!

His body suddenly emitted a muffled thud.

The center of the liquid mana ball, frantically compressed by the "Minor Five Elements Spirit Body", suddenly condensed into a small solid sphere.

Immediately thereafter, as if contagious, all the liquid mana began to solidify.

But when, in his qi sea dantian, all the liquid mana had solidified, the "Minor Five Elements Spirit Body" instead erupted with force, shattering all the solidified mana.

Only a small speck at the very center remained, glowing with five-colored light.

Afterward, the shattered solidified mana was again attracted to the five-colored small ball, condensing once more into a "ball", though this time the "ball" was much smaller than before.

Bang!!

But once again, it was shattered and ground into powder.

Gather, solidify, shatter, repeating endlessly.

He underwent this a full nine times!

Nine Turns Five Elements Merge Yin Yang!

After the nine times, when it condensed again, the "ball" had become dozens of times smaller, and was round, smooth, solid, and emanated a special luster.

Suddenly.

That luster slowly turned golden, and then the whole thing was engulfed in golden light.

Finally, formed was a Golden Core whose golden light emitted five-colored light, with an outward faint image of a blue lotus and an inward fusion of five-colored lotus.

"Heaven clear, earth bright, five elements Golden Core!"

At this moment, Yunhe's heart surged.

But fortunately, the effect of the "Transformation Origin Pill" allowed him to regain his composure a step earlier from the excitement.

Not over yet!

The Golden Core is the union of the three treasures of essence, energy, and spirit; although the five elements Golden Core has formed, it is not yet perfect, and without infusing divine sense to fully control it, there remains a possibility of the core shattering and falling from the realm.

Hum—

But how powerful is Yunhe's divine sense?

Early Golden Core cultivators cannot match him; they would be stuck at this stage.

Yunhe immediately gathered his spirit, his thoughts like swords and spears, his Dao heart like halberds; his firm Dao heart and strong will let him, with an unyielding, forward-charging aura, fiercely thrust his divine sense into the Golden Core!

Boom!!

In his qi sea dantian, it was as if heaven and earth were overturned.

But Yunhe's sea of consciousness was now extremely ethereal, his whole person seeming to have ascended to the boundless, selfless, infinite realm; his divine sense and the origin of the Golden Core merged as one, beginning to transform!

Thus, the Golden Core was formed!

But the breakthrough process was not yet over.

Yunhe must seize the Golden Core opportunity to wildly absorb heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi, so as to let the newly condensed Golden Core obtain the maximum possible supplement, thereby thoroughly consolidating his realm; otherwise, a slight mishap could still cause the Golden Core to shatter and his realm to regress.

At this moment, the place of rich spiritual Qi he had chosen, where the training room's spiritual Qi density was comparable to that of a Third Stage middle-grade spiritual vein, became his greatest aid.

Pure spiritual Qi, as he actively absorbed it, surged like countless rushing rivers into his body, entering his qi sea dantian along the meridians of the circulating cultivation method, and merging into the Golden Core.

The golden light originally emitted by the Golden Core grew richer; as it rotated, the five-colored light slowly appeared on its surface, and the influx of large amounts of spiritual Qi gave it greater luster and solidity.

Finally.

With another low rumble, the Golden Core became completely perfect and flawless.

Yunhe opened his eyes, the suppressed joy finally bursting forth at this moment, his face showing an uncontainable ecstasy.

"Golden Core. Finally broken through!"

After enduring over a hundred years of arduous cultivation, facing danger and hardship many times, Yunhe finally condensed a supreme Golden Core, formally entered the Golden Core realm, and became a Golden Core cultivator revered by myriad people.

Yunhe clenched his fist, feeling his own changes.

(End of chapter)