Chapter 292: Formation of the Nascent Soul (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Six months later.

Inside the cave dwelling.

Fang Xing stared at the four "Ningying Pills" arranged in a row before him, silent in thought.

After one failure, his second batch was as if blessed by divine aid, easily yielding one "inferior-grade" Ningying Pill.

Though not matching the baseline of a fourth-rank alchemist—guaranteeing at least one genuine Ningying Pill—it was still quite impressive.

If this single inferior-grade Ningying Pill leaked out, it would surely spark bloody chaos and cause countless late-stage Golden Core cultivators to perish.

Even Wanfa Shangren, who had reached full Golden Core, never had the chance to lay eyes on an inferior-grade Ningying Pill!

Or rather, had he obtained even one inferior-grade Ningying Pill, with the Wanhua Ding in hand, he might well have broken through to the Nascent Soul stage and become the "Wanfa Great Zhenjun."

With the Wanhua Ding, an inferior-grade Ningying Pill could be upgraded to a genuine one.

But Fang Xing now harbored ambition—he wanted to aim for the supreme-grade—and without hesitation, he immediately began his third batch while the momentum lasted.

The third batch did not disappoint: he successfully forged one genuine Ningying Pill!

Riding the wave of success, Fang Xing lit the furnace again for a fourth batch of "Ningying Pills."

This time, his luck exploded: he produced one genuine and one inferior-grade pill.

In terms of Ningying Pill refinement alone, he had now matched the output of fourth-rank alchemists in the Great Jing cultivation realm.

This left Fang Xing speechless, yet upon reflection, he understood.

How many opportunities does even a fourth-rank alchemist get in a lifetime to refine "Ningying Pills"?

Even a Nascent Soul True Lord with a thousand-year lifespan might encounter the Linlang Linlang Fudi's opening no more than twice, and refine only a few batches.

Genuine fourth-rank alchemists rely on refining other fourth-rank pills, drawing analogies to ensure a stable success rate for Ningying Pills.

Though I've refined fewer other fourth-rank pills, my number of furnace openings for Ningying Pills may rival—even exceed—that of fourth-rank alchemists.

Combined with the Wanhua Ding's inherent boost to success rate, this outcome was inevitable.

"Four Divine Infant Fruits yielded two genuine and two inferior-grade pills… to either the orthodox or demonic sects, this would drive alchemists to murder."

"But for me, it's acceptable."

Fang Xing stored the fifth Divine Infant Fruit, with no intention of opening another furnace.

Multiple servings of Ningying Pills offer no cumulative effect—one is enough.

The remaining Divine Infant Fruit, whether traded or saved for future fourth- or even fifth-rank formulas, would prove highly valuable.

Fang Xing picked up one "Ningying Pill."

The pill was peculiar: sky-blue in color, with a faint, blurred infantine silhouette within.

The infantine silhouette in the inferior-grade pill was extremely indistinct, while the genuine one was clearer.

Moreover, each pill was sealed within a milky-white, semi-transparent crystal.

This crystal casing, forged from ten-thousand-year stone milk and other spirit herb essences, locked the pill's power completely, allowing not a single trace to leak.

Furthermore, such sealed Ningying Pills retained their potency for at least five hundred years without weakening.

"The remaining three Ningying Pills—how many fine items could they fetch?"

Fang Xing sealed all four Ningying Pills into the Wanhua Ding, his eyes gleaming with anticipation: "All preparations are nearly complete. Once I reach full Golden Core, I'll attempt to form a Nascent Soul."

"Who would've thought—my cultivation avatar would be the first to truly enter the Eighth Stage!"

…

Several years later.

On a peak outside Mount Mount Baihua.

"Did Mu Mu Wulong… die after all?"

The White Crane Sect's Supreme Elder pinched his whitened eyebrows, gazing at the Ten Thousand Flowers Illusion Array, deeply frustrated.

Though he'd planted agents within the Mu family, two major disasters had wiped them out almost entirely.

The few remaining scraps, under the Mu family's current mountain-sealing order, could hardly relay any useful intelligence.

In short, since Mu Mu Qingbai's death, his intelligence on the Mu family had turned pitch-black.

"Hehe… Old White Crane, I hear your precious crane died at Mu Mu Wulong's hands… no wonder the grudge runs so deep."

A large-headed, black-robed figure cackled: "No wonder you're willing to ally with us… otherwise, in a hundred years, with your lifespan dwindling, you might just pass away in meditation."

The White Crane Sect's Supreme Elder's expression darkened slightly.

Originally, the White Crane Sect's main strategy was to ally with Du Qiankun Dao, destroy the Mu family, and seize this rare fourth-rank spiritual vein to gradually grow and accumulate Nascent Soul resources.

But they never anticipated that cursed Mu Mu Wulong would throw their smooth plan into chaos.

If they continued this stalemate, the White Crane Elder feared he'd pass away first!

Thus, he had no choice but to take a desperate gamble and ally with the demonic sects!

"This time, no need for your direct involvement… just deliver the fourth-rank Pulse-Breaking Pearl as agreed."

The White Crane Sect's Supreme Elder sighed deeply.

A fourth-rank Pulse-Breaking Pearl was exceedingly rare, even among Nascent Soul sects—a true top-tier strategic resource.

Even though his own granddaughter was a concubine to the Five Elements Disciple, the White Crane Sect had no access to such a spirit item.

Even Du Qiankun Dao might not have any in stock.

A single fourth-rank Pulse-Breaking Pearl could destabilize a fourth-rank spiritual vein; the quasi-fourth-rank Ten Thousand Flowers Illusion Array would be shattered!

Then, the White Crane Elder believed he could kill Mu Mu Wulong, even if he was barely alive.

He'd feared before that Mu Mu Wulong, protected by the quasi-fourth-rank array, might drag him down in a final suicidal strike. Without the array's protection, a dying man—even one wielding forbidden techniques—was no real threat.

"Don't worry. Since we need your White Crane Sect as an inside agent among the orthodox, we'll protect you… all traces are cleared. The fourth-rank Pulse-Breaking Pearl will appear at the Yi Ling Immortal City auction in half a year—the seller won't take spirit stones, only specific spirit items…"

The large-headed black-robed man detailed the arrangements.

The White Crane Elder's expression eased slightly—if he bought the Pulse-Breaking Pearl, even if its demonic origin was discovered, it wouldn't matter; he'd merely been an auction bidder.

"To destroy the Mu family, pay such a heavy price—is it worth it?"

"But I have no more than a hundred years left…"

The White Crane Elder stared at Mount Mount Baihua, clenching his fist: "This grudge… I, White Crane, will repay it!"

If before, targeting the Mu family was merely about coveting the fourth-rank spiritual vein, now that Mu Mu Wulong had slain his life-spirit crane, the enmity was blood-deep, irreconcilable.

That exotic spirit crane had been his life-spirit beast since his Qi Gathering stage, accompanying him, protecting him, surviving countless tribulations together.

The crane had taken three fatal blows meant for the White Crane Elder alone!

After reaching late-stage Golden Core, he'd poured immense effort and cost to raise the crane to peak third-rank.

Their bond was closer than that of soulmates or even a father and son.

And yet… it died in Mu Mu Wulong's hands!

Now, even if he abandoned the Mount Mount Baihua spiritual vein and allied with demons, he would destroy the Mu family—this had become his heart demon.

Unless he personally slew Mu Mu Wulong, he felt his cultivation would never advance again.

"Hehe… once this array breaks, the Mu family—just one dying Golden Core and two pseudo-Nascent Soul cultivators—won't require my intervention… then…"

The black-robed, large-headed figure was about to say more when his expression suddenly changed!

The White Crane Elder's face paled in shock as he stared toward Mount Mount Baihua.

The once-swirling petals in the sky had abruptly frozen, their flow disrupted, revealing layer upon layer of spiritual vein hills behind them.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

A gale howled, stirring spiritual energy across a hundred li—rising from the void, from flowers, trees, mountains, rivers—converging into multicolored orbs that hovered around Mount Mount Baihua, shimmering brilliantly, radiating an indescribable spiritual pressure!

Within Mount Mount Baihua, many Qi Gathering cultivators near the fourth-rank cave dwelling knelt trembling to the ground.

Even Foundation Establishment cultivators felt their internal energy churn wildly.

Even the distant White Crane Elder and the large-headed black-robed man felt an overwhelming, indescribable pressure.

"This…"

The White Crane Elder stared, stunned: "Impossible…"

"Spiritual energy like clouds, spanning a hundred li… this is the Nascent Soul Formation Phenomenon! No mistake…"

The large-headed black-robed man, his triangular eyes wide, fixed on the White Crane Elder: "The Mu family hides another full Golden Core cultivator with Nascent Soul potential?!"

"I… I didn't know either."

The White Crane Elder felt bitterness flood his mouth, tinged with a metallic tang.

He wiped his lips—blood stained his fingers.

No matter what, he knew: with this Nascent Soul Phenomenon, his entire plan had become a joke.

He stared at the hundred-li phenomenon, face filled with disbelief: "This can't be…"

If the Mu family had such depth, how could they have been driven so desperately by the White Crane Sect?

Several Golden Core elders, even the family head, had already died.

Yet this Nascent Soul Phenomenon was unmistakable.

A Numinous Golden Core's phenomenon spanned only ten li.

But Nascent Soul formation began with a hundred li!

That was the abyss between Golden Core and Nascent Soul!

"How… how do we stop it?"

The White Crane Elder's face twisted into a monstrous snarl.

"Difficult… the Du Qiankun Dao's ancestral elder is already on the frontlines at the 'Bibo Cave' battlefield, confronting that fourth-rank 'Azure Cold Water Serpent'…"

The black-robed giant sighed: "No other Nascent Soul cultivators are close enough… none could arrive in time."

Still, Nascent Soul tribulations are numerous—even if barely formed, there is still the Heart Demon Tribulation and the Thunder Tribulation.

He let out a sinister laugh: "Those with insufficient foundation might perish under the calamity, sparing us the trouble of lifting a finger."

"No!"

The White Crane Daoist's gaze sharpened: "If the Mu family succeeds, my White Crane Sect will be utterly annihilated… I cannot take that risk."

His body blazed with brilliant white light as he let out a piercing crane cry and surged toward Mount Mount Baihua!

At this moment, the Ten Thousand Flowers Illusory Array was destabilizing due to the Nascent Soul phenomenon vying for spiritual energy.

If a late Foundation Establishment cultivator were to combine third-grade Breaking Seal talismans and other sealing-breaking artifacts, entering Mount Mount Baihua would be no problem at all!

"Heh… he's finally moved."

The black-clad giant stood with his hands behind his back, silently watching: "No matter what… there must not be another Nascent Soul True Sovereign among the orthodox sects. After all… our demonic path has already fallen far behind."

Of the former Six Demonic Heroes, all except the Free and Easy Marquis had perished.

Yet several of the Five Orthodox Disciples still lived!

Even if the demonic path hastily cultivated new Nascent Soul seeds, how easily could an Immortal Golden Core be achieved?

It was easy to imagine that future demonic Nascent Souls would inevitably lag behind those of the orthodox path.

If the orthodox path were to gain yet another Nascent Soul True Sovereign now, it would be even more disastrous for the demonic path!

(End of Chapter)