Chapter 447: Consolidating the Foundation, Foundation Establishment Level 9, Ice Castle Battle Damage, Chu Kui's Invitation

Regarding forming a Core, Luo Chen showed full confidence in front of Sima Huiniang.

However, is that really the case?

The answer is no!

Although Luo Chen's preparations before forming a Core were already good enough.

Whether it was the traditional three treasures of essence, Qi, and spirit, or secret arts and elixirs, he had already prepared everything.

But as the true watershed realm dividing low-tier and high-tier cultivators in the cultivation world—the Core Formation stage—how could it be so easily fathomed?

Those Nascent Soul sects that have been passed down for thousands of years have been cultivating a complete system of techniques for their disciples from the beginning, which can reach Nascent Soul in Qi Refining.

In this process, there is support from matching secret arts, elixirs, spirit lands, and guidance from masters.

But even so, one doesn't see Core Formation cultivators walking all over the place in the upper sects!

On the contrary, there are many failures.

Even some great sect Dao children occasionally have news of unfortunate failures in forming a Core over the past thousand years.

Is it possible that the Core Formation great sects don't provide the best Core Formation configuration resources for the Dao children they value most?

It's clearly impossible.

Therefore, no one dares to say that the Core Formation barrier is ten-tenths certain.

Luo Chen's confident and assured appearance was merely to put Sima Huiniang's mind at ease.

If he didn't have confidence, how could others maintain confidence in him?

After returning to the Tianlan Peak cave dwelling, Luo Chen's first task was not cultivation, but healing.

The injuries from the Great Snow Mountain trip didn't look like much on the surface, but they were actually quite serious.

It wasn't an injury caused by being hit by someone, but a depletion of vitality caused by his excessive activation of various means.

This vitality can be reflected in every aspect, such as spiritual energy depletion, soul fatigue, and physical weakness.

These things are not easy to recover from in the wild.

That's why Luo Chen was in such a hurry to get home.

After returning home, the first thing Luo Chen did was sleep soundly for three days and three nights.

After waking up, feeling refreshed, he began to work on recovering from his injuries.

The "Fanghua Sutra" left behind by Sun Sifang played a big role in this process.

It recorded several medicinal prescriptions for recovering vitality, the effects of which were far better than the enhanced version of the Pei Yuan Spirit Liquid that Luo Chen had prepared himself.

Luo Chen chose the "Thousand Gold Prescription," which had the highest cost but also the best effect, to recover his body, which was more precious than gold.

Besides this.

Sima Huiniang also began to send various demonic beasts to Luo Chen regularly.

Mostly first-tier, occasionally second-tier.

The only, or rather, the two requirements were that they had to be big and they had to be alive!

The bigger the demonic beast, the stronger the vitality it represented!

Luo Chen, through the Withering-Flourishing Fire, somewhat cruelly refined these living demonic beasts to seize their vitality.

Even if the bulk was absorbed by the Withering-Flourishing Fire, he himself could still share two or three tenths.

After the injection of increasingly thick vitality.

Luo Chen's physical recovery ability also became stronger and stronger.

If Luo Chen's body in the past possessed the level of an ancient third-tier demonic beast, it could be seen as an indestructible steel plate.

That represented his absolute hardness.

But sometimes, being just strong, hard, and rigid doesn't mean it's the best.

Once injured, it's quite troublesome to recover.

The reason Luo Chen started to practice medicine in addition to alchemy was because his body recovered extremely slowly after being injured.

But with the absorption of a large amount of vitality, his body, besides being strong and hard, gained a share of inner "softness."

Inside the cave dwelling.

Luo Chen watched a second-tier demonic bear, two zhang tall, turn into ashes amidst painful screams, and slowly withdrew his hand.

A thoughtful look appeared on his face.

"It is rumored that in the ancient Shanhai world, there existed a large number of wild beasts and ancient beasts. These existences, although they did not follow the path of demonic energy transformation, possessed other formidable powers."

"Chasing stars and moons, destroying mountains and seas is just one of them; there is also the mystery of limb reconstruction and rebirth from a drop of blood."

"If I absorb enough vitality to reach the level of an ancient wild beast in terms of recovery ability, could I also achieve rebirth from a drop of blood?"

This assumption seemed a bit whimsical.

But it was not without basis.

Taking cultivators as an example, the higher the realm, the stronger the ability to save one's life.

If one reached the Nascent Soul stage, the Nascent Soul would not be destroyed, and the cultivator would not die.

In a sense, it was also similar to the rebirth from a drop of blood of demonic beasts.

"However, if I want to reach the point of rebirth from a drop of blood, the vitality I've plundered so far is just a drop in the bucket."

"What about the Life-Cutting Finger?"

Luo Chen's attribute panel had always had a third-tier magic art, "Life-Cutting Finger."

This art originated from Li Jinhuang.

It was wondrous and infinite, and could cut off a wisp of a cultivator's vitality, making it exist in the world for a period of time.

From decline to flourishing, and then, at the peak of flourishing, it would perish in a flash.

This kind of cut-off vitality could not be absorbed.

But if it were activated with the Origin True Fire, the Withering-Flourishing Fire, could it be absorbed into himself to a greater extent, instead of being absorbed by the Withering-Flourishing Fire?

The fantasy was beautiful, but to truly practice it, there were many obstacles.

After several failed experiments, Luo Chen gradually gave up on this idea and focused on using the Withering-Flourishing Fire to absorb the vitality of demonic beasts.

Under this daily routine.

Luo Chen's vitality became more and more vigorous, and his injuries recovered faster and faster.

Originally estimated to take two or three years to recover to his peak state, it only took half a year for Luo Chen to reappear in his peak posture!

Even, when Gu Caiyi came to find him once, she was surprised to find that there were a few black hairs on his gray and white hair.

Good news, and not just this one.

The "Evergreen Technique," which he had derived after the "Evergreen Medicine King Sutra" reached Great Perfection, finally reached the proficiency of Great Perfection after many years.

After this technique reached Great Perfection, it could no longer be derived further.

In the end, the "Evergreen Medicine King Sutra" was only the Foundation Establishment chapter of the latter technique.

That Luo Chen was able to use the system to complete it was already a stroke of immense luck.

The Great Perfection "Evergreen Technique," besides the early spiritual energy nourishing the body, spiritual sense capturing external spiritual energy, and marrow washing, had another effect.

Or rather, it wasn't an additional effect, but an enhancement!

The automatic recovery effect brought about by the Grandmaster level of the "Evergreen Technique" during his Qi Refining stage was suddenly enhanced!

Now, the effect of automatic recovery was ten times the original!

Now, when Luo Chen releases a great power magic art, as long as he is in a place full of spiritual energy, Luo Chen doesn't have to do anything, and this consumption can be instantly filled.

Even in a place with thin spiritual energy, it can automatically recover a lot.

In this way, Luo Chen's problem of combat endurance was solved.

It was a bit wondrous.

The Withering-Flourishing Fire refining vitality made Luo Chen's physical recovery ability stronger.

The Great Perfection "Evergreen Technique" made Luo Chen's spiritual energy recovery ability stronger.

These two changes, although they didn't help much with his cultivation progress, gave him a breakthrough in combat ability.

If there were another Great Snow Mountain trip.

He believed he could do better!

"Better not have another one!"

Luo Chen sighed with emotion and smiled self-deprecatingly.

He didn't want to participate in too many battles now.

Currently, his most urgent task was cultivation.

First, cultivate his realm to Foundation Establishment Level 9 step by step!

Luo Chen made a plan.

For the next few years, he wouldn't care about anything, wouldn't participate in any external affairs, and would just do two things.

Cultivation, alchemy.

Daily cultivation cannot be dropped; the benefits of this are not visible in the short term, but in the long term, they are better than taking elixirs.

And alchemy was Luo Chen's plan for after Foundation Establishment Level 9.

He was preparing to refine all the Jade Dew Elixirs needed by the Ice Castle in the future, as well as the top-grade Blood-Increasing Elixirs, top-grade Dust-Falling Elixirs, and Tongyou Elixirs he would use for his own cultivation, all in one go.

By then, he wouldn't have to consider alchemy.

He would only need to focus on things related to cultivation and breaking through realms.

Days passed slowly in this water-like flow of time.

The first year, Luo Chen refined all the Jade Dew Elixirs needed by the Ice Castle for the next twenty years.

The second and third years, two consecutive years, he refined all the top-grade Blood-Increasing Elixirs and Dust-Falling Elixirs needed for his own cultivation.

And his improved second-tier Tongyou Elixir also had its proficiency brushed to the Great Perfection level in daily refining.

Then, he refined a large batch in one go.

Such a large-scale alchemy project naturally consumed an immense amount of resources.

The spirit stones earned by the Luo Tian Association in these few years were mostly consumed by him.

Not only that, but even the batch of Foundation Establishment cultivator essence blood left behind by the Blood Demon Mysterious Jade was completely consumed.

This was also why he stopped refining top-grade Blood-Increasing Elixirs.

The raw materials were gone!

However, even so, the top-grade Blood-Increasing Elixirs he had hoarded were enough for him to cultivate to the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection in one go.

After everything was ready, Luo Chen truly entered a hard seclusion.

Not seeing outsiders, not managing worldly affairs.

Years are hard to keep, time is easy to damage.

Seclusion always forgets the passing of years.

Time flew by, and ten years had passed since Luo Chen returned to Tianlan from the Great Snow Mountains.

On this day.

In the No. 17 cave dwelling on Tianlan Peak.

A long whistle was suddenly emitted.

Hearing this sound, Bai Meiling, who had long since awakened from the Soul-Nurturing Banner, flew back to the cave dwelling for the first time.

"Master, has your realm broken through?"

In the living room.

Luo Chen, who had just finished washing and was looking brand new, wearing a loose long robe, nodded to her with a smile.

Seeing this, Bai Meiling couldn't help but be overjoyed.

Seeing this, Bai Meiling could not help but beam with joy, "Congratulations to Master for your progress in the Dao; the Core Formation stage is within reach!"

Luo Chen smiled and accepted the flattery.

Indeed, the Core Formation stage was within reach!

The journey from the eighth to the ninth level of Foundation Establishment was the longest stage he had ever spent in any realm.

It had taken him a full twenty-plus years!

Such a long period of time had truly brought him immense benefits.

He had finally solidified the foundation that had previously been somewhat hollow.

Not only that, but on top of his original foundation, he had combed through his own state, allowing his essence, Qi, and spirit to all achieve breakthroughs.

Now, not only did he possess a physique comparable to a third-tier ancient desolate beast, but the depth of his spiritual power had also completely surpassed that of those at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment.

As for his spiritual sense, after experiencing two inner demons, one heart-torture, one heart-questioning, numerous minor realm breakthroughs, and the constant daily consumption of Tongyou Elixirs, it had reached an unimaginable level.

At this moment, he was at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment.

Yet, his spiritual sense foundation not only surpassed those at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, but even gave people the illusion that he was not far off from a Core Formation cultivator.

One must know, this was only the ninth level of Foundation Establishment!

Luo Chen still had one small realm left in the Foundation Establishment stage.

If he waited until he reached the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, he imagined there would be further breakthroughs.

"Only in my current state do I truly have the confidence to calmly face the barrier of Core Formation!"

Luo Chen felt deeply moved and hesitated for a moment.

He even felt that even if he didn't wait for the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, relying solely on his current accumulation and the spiritual vortex formed by reversing the Qi sea through the "Qingyuan Miaodan Method," he had a chance of successfully forming his core!

However, that would be far too risky.

Having made so many preparations for Core Formation, how could he act so rashly?

Haste makes waste; let's stabilize for now!

Luo Chen looked at Bai Meiling, his sharp eyes seemingly piercing through her body.

After examining her for a long while, he nodded slightly.

"It seems your condition is quite good."

Bai Meiling smiled brightly, "I have completely absorbed that Ghost King's origin Yin energy. With the help of the Soul-Nurturing Banner, practicing the 'Ghost Mystery Record' is now twice as effective with half the effort. If nothing goes wrong, in a hundred years, I might be able to normally advance to the third-tier Ghost King realm."

Luo Chen raised an eyebrow.

"You have such certainty?"

Bai Meiling scratched her head, "I can't quite say, but I do have that feeling. Inside that Ghost King's origin Yin energy, there were consciousness fragments crushed by you all. After absorbing them, I made this judgment based on the experience within them."

Luo Chen nodded thoughtfully.

Indeed, the experience of such an existence as a Ghost King still had some reference value.

Not to mention anything else, just the fact that after Pang Renxiong fell, his remnant soul only took a short three to five years to advance to the third-tier Ghost King realm, actually shows the clues.

What he relied on was not just his own Core Formation cultivator's spiritual sense foundation, nor just the so-called realm of Sword Heart Clarity.

More importantly, his remnant soul absorbed all the Yin energy left behind by the three Ghost Kings at Dahefang!

It was also by relying on this opportunity that he could recover his third-tier strength in such a short time.

Even!

From Luo Chen's current perspective, if Pang Renxiong had refined that ghost domain, plus the living beast souls fed to him by the Sword Sect disciples from time to time, he could not only reproduce his peak capabilities but also go further.

The battle at Dahefang was a great tribulation for Pang Renxiong, but wasn't it also an opportunity?

"What is the situation recently? Tell me about it."

Bai Meiling nodded her small head and quickly told Luo Chen all the intelligence sent by the Luotian Society over these years.

First was the news about the Ice Fortress that Luo Chen was most concerned about.

Four Core Formation cultivators had died mysteriously!

For this, the Ice Fortress held a funeral, but strangely, they did not invite any outsiders to attend.

Even close vassals like the Luotian Society were not invited.

Luo Chen frowned; four Core Formation True Persons died?

"Could it be that they died under the siege of ten thousand demons at the Great Snow Mountain?"

He remembered very clearly that it wasn't just Han Zhan who helped Cang Long cross the tribulation.

The Ice Fortress's high-end combat power had also gone out in full force.

Except for Cang Long, who needed to face the tribulation, and the newly appointed Core Formation Sect Master, Fairy Ice Soul, who remained in the Ice Fortress, the other eight Core Formation True Persons had risked everything.

In that Moon-Glazed Ice Fortress, one person sat in charge of each level.

With the help of high-grade magic treasures and the power of a fourth-tier spiritual land, they resisted the countless beasts summoned by the White Bone Mysterious Snake in the Great Snow Mountain.

The number of third-tier beasts alone was unimaginable.

It was feared the number was over a hundred!

Under such circumstances, it was perfectly normal for three or five Core Formation cultivators to die.

However...

"Is there no news of Master Cang Long successfully advancing to Nascent Soul?"

Bai Meiling shook her head, "I specifically searched through countless pieces of intelligence, and there is no relevant news. I fear that senior failed the tribulation."

"Failed?"

Luo Chen murmured, a look of melancholy appearing on his face.

He had hoped for Cang Long to succeed.

After all, he had called her "Senior Sister."

After the melancholy came worry.

If Cang Long failed to advance to Nascent Soul, and the Ice Fortress lost four Core Formation True Persons in one go, then I fear subsequent changes will occur!

This "change" is not limited to the internal power struggle of the Ice Fortress, but also concerns the external situation and the opening war that is only a few years away.

Will the Ice Fortress, with its strength greatly damaged, still participate in the opening war as usual?

As a vassal, will the Luotian Society be affected?

Thinking of the opening war, Bai Meiling timely recounted the relevant intelligence.

In her description, the current Jade Cauldron Domain really was like a giant cauldron about to boil.

Countless cultivators from outside the domain were rushing to the Jade Cauldron Domain, gearing up for the opening war thirty years later.

And this was just the rogue cultivators.

I fear that in some time, those sect forces on the battle list will also arrive in the Jade Cauldron Domain one after another.

"We have already taken Liuguangfang!"

This was a rare piece of positive news among the many reports.

"Brother Duan led the Luotian Society cultivators and invited the Kang family of Taishanfang and the Luo family of the neighboring Luoshafang to attack the Bai family of Liuguangfang together."

"Although that battle had some twists and turns, there were no major casualties. It was only during the battle for that third-tier Youbai plant that Sister Fengxia was seriously injured to protect that spiritual plant. However, under the full treatment of the Luotian Society cultivators, she has now recovered and can practice normally."

Fengxia had successfully reached Foundation Establishment many years ago and had even taken over from Bian Zhen to manage the Luotian Society's Spirit Medicine Hall.

A third-tier Youbai in good condition was of immense value.

As the Hall Master of the Spirit Medicine Hall, she would certainly spare no effort to preserve it.

Luo Chen took the file and carefully looked at the situation of that battle.

Besides casualties and gains, it also mentioned the rise of some younger generation cultivators of the Luotian Society.

Ceng Yilong, who had achieved success in body refining; Bai Lian, a rising star of the Casting Hall; Qu Lingjun, who had successfully reached Foundation Establishment...

"Wait, why did Lingjun go to the battlefield?"

Luo Chen frowned.

Qu Lingjun's successful Foundation Establishment was within his expectations.

After all, he had enjoyed special treatment in terms of various elixir resources over the years, even more generous than when Luo Chen was in the Qi Refining stage.

In terms of cultivation methods and daily practice, he also had the guidance of the Luotian Society's Foundation Establishment True Persons.

And even more, Li Yingzhang had tailor-made the "Three Origins Return to One" secret technique for him.

Therefore, when he was sixty-two years old, he successfully reached Foundation Establishment after taking two Foundation Establishment Pills in succession.

But the Luotian Society had no precedent for letting alchemists go to the battlefield.

Except for the Danxia defense battle and Luo Chen himself, those two exceptions.

Bai Meiling shrugged, "It is said that he applied for it himself. He said that his cultivation journey had been smooth sailing and he had rarely participated in direct combat. That's why he took the initiative to apply to participate in this battle, intending to temper himself."

"He himself is the Master of the Alchemy Hall and your disciple, so others found it hard to refuse."

"After President Sister weighed it, she allowed him to participate in that battle."

After hearing this explanation, Luo Chen was still somewhat dissatisfied.

But hearing the final decision made by Sima Huiniang, he suppressed the dissatisfaction in his heart.

"Perhaps, blind protection is too much of a greenhouse upbringing."

"For an alchemist, possessing strength matching the immense wealth they control is the right path."

Luo Chen found a reason for himself so that he would no longer be so obsessed with this matter.

Speaking of which, there is a clear contrast regarding the combat capabilities of alchemists.

There are the extremely strong, like Luo Chen, like Danyangzi of the Green Elixir Valley.

There are also the extremely weak, like Danyuanzi of the Qinhuajiang battle.

The other party clearly possessed the realm of mid-stage Foundation Establishment, yet was fiercely killed by a method left behind by Li Jinhuang after his death.

This shows how weak Danyuanzi's combat capability was.

His own cultivation of Qu Lingjun was too gentle, which almost led him down the path of Danyuanzi.

Appropriately participating in battles to temper oneself is correct.

Sima Huiniang's consideration must have been very thorough.

The battle of Liuguangfang was planned by the Luotian Society for a long time, plus the two major reinforcements of the Kang family and the Luo family, it was a battle that was a sure win.

Under such circumstances, Sima Huiniang's decision to let the younger generation of the Luotian Society go to the battlefield to temper themselves was actually a very wise decision.

"It's just that I'm not very good at training disciples."

Luo Chen laughed at himself and asked about other intelligence.

Bai Meiling had an excellent memory!

She had not only read all the intelligence from these years but had also combed through it and remembered it all in her mind.

At this moment, recounting it one by one, it allowed Luo Chen, who had been in seclusion for many years, to have a sufficient understanding of the outside situation.

Finally!

Bai Meiling brought up one thing.

"Hall Master Chu Kui has been asking to see you since last month."

Luo Chen was startled, and then a look of joy appeared on his face.

"Wait for me at home, I'll go to his cave dwelling!"

After dropping this sentence, Luo Chen didn't care about the deep night outside, rolled up a gust of wind, and hurriedly left the gate of the cave dwelling.