Chapter 40

Four Seas Pavilion, independent small building, inside the quiet room.

The formation was fully activated, spiritual light flowed, completely isolating the inside from the outside. Lin Xuan sat cross-legged at the core of the Spirit Gathering Formation, the crystal jade bottle suspended in front of him. The Condensing Core Jade Liquid in the bottle flowed slowly like a living thing, emitting a heart-palpitating, majestic spiritual opportunity.

He did not start refining immediately, but first spent a full day adjusting his state to the peak.

Spiritual power was full and flowed as he wished.

Spiritual sense was clear, reflecting his whole body.

Blood energy surged like a long river.

The slight consumption and hidden injuries caused by the previous continuous battles and the use of the Small Teleportation Talisman were also completely healed under the effect of elixirs and his own powerful recovery ability.

"It's time."

Lin Xuan opened his eyes, and a flash of light passed through them. He no longer hesitated, pinched the magic seal, and the bottle stopper opened automatically.

Hum—!

An indescribable, rich fragrance instantly permeated the entire quiet room; just smelling it made one feel that their spiritual power was lively and the bottleneck was loosening. That drop of emerald green jade liquid seemed to possess life, flying out of the bottle mouth by itself and suspending before Lin Xuan's brow.

"Swallow!"

Lin Xuan opened his mouth to inhale, an invisible traction force was emitted, and that drop of Condensing Core Jade Liquid turned into a stream of light, sinking directly into his mouth!

Boom!!!

The moment the jade liquid entered his abdomen, it was as if a giant rock had been thrown into a calm lake! Unimaginable, majestic energy exploded, like a burst flood, frantically pouring into his limbs and bones, his extraordinary meridians!

This energy was incomparably pure, yet incomparably domineering, almost blowing him up!

"Nine Transformations Chaos Scripture, refine for me!"

Lin Xuan shouted inwardly, the cultivation technique that had already been operated to the extreme was frantically urged, and the Chaos Golden Core in his dantian rotated at an unprecedented speed, emitting a powerful suction force, greedily devouring this pure energy like a black hole.

On the surface of his body, blue veins bulged, and it seemed as if countless little mice were scurrying under his skin; that was the manifestation of energy being too full. Intense pain came, like ten thousand ants biting his heart, and also like fire burning his body.

But his mind was as firm as a rock, guarding the point of clarity in his spiritual platform, guiding and refining with all his might.

Time passed slowly in painful torment.

One day, two days...

The medicinal power of the Condensing Core Jade Liquid was constantly refined and absorbed, and the spiritual power in Lin Xuan's body became increasingly pure and thick at a speed visible to the naked eye. The Chaos Golden Core in his dantian also grew slowly and firmly, its color became deeper, and the Chaos patterns on the surface seemed to come alive, flowing slowly, emitting an obscure and unpredictable aura.

His spiritual sense also grew constantly under the nourishment of the medicinal power; although the perception range was limited by the quiet room formation, the "clarity" and "control" were constantly improving. The divine ability runes of the "Eye of Breaking Delusion" floated in his sea of consciousness, becoming more solid.

At the same time, he did not forget body tempering. The technique of the second transformation of the "Nine Transformations Lei Gang Body" operated by itself, drawing part of the medicinal power to temper his physical body, his bones emitted light crackling sounds, his flesh, tendons, and membranes became tougher in the tearing and reorganization, and strands of pale golden thunder arcs appeared and disappeared on his skin.

On the fifth day, the spiritual power in Lin Xuan's body had reached a critical point, and the rotation speed of the Golden Core had reached the extreme, as if it would crack in the next moment!

He knew that the time for breakthrough had arrived!

"Break!"

He gathered all his mental will, guiding that vast sea-like energy, and launched the final charge toward the barrier of the Mid-Stage Golden Core!

Boom—!

A loud noise like the opening of heaven and earth exploded in the depths of his soul!

The Chaos Golden Core in his dantian shook violently, and its volume suddenly expanded by a circle! It became more solid and more rounded! Chaos air currents wrapped around the surface, as if evolving a small world!

A spiritual power fluctuation several times stronger than before spread out from his body like a tide, impacting the quiet room formation until it hummed!

Mid-Stage Golden Core, achieved!

However, the changes did not stop!

The medicinal power of the Condensing Core Jade Liquid was still majestic, continuing to push his cultivation base to climb upward!

Mid-Stage Golden Core stabilized...

Mid-Stage Golden Core peak...

Until it touched the barrier of the Late-Stage Golden Core, the surging medicinal power finally calmed down slowly.

Lin Xuan did not forcibly charge the Late-Stage; a solid foundation was far more important than blindly pursuing the realm. He completely refined the remaining medicinal power, consolidating the realm he had just broken through.

When he opened his eyes again, it seemed as if two flashes of lightning had passed through the quiet room, and the empty room became bright!

He stood up slowly, feeling the powerful strength in his body that was surging and far surpassing the past, and an unprecedented self-confidence arose spontaneously.

Spiritual sense swept over himself:

The total amount and quality of spiritual power had increased by more than five times compared to the Golden Core Stage 1!

The Chaos Golden Core was deeper and more powerful, and its affinity with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth had greatly increased.

Physical strength skyrocketed; pure physical strength was no less than a Mid-Stage Golden Core body cultivator who specialized in body tempering!

Divine abilities such as "Shrinking Ground to an Inch" and "Eye of Breaking Delusion" also rose with the tide as his cultivation base improved.

More importantly, his understanding of the "Nine Transformations Chaos Scripture" was a layer deeper, and his path was clearer.

"Finally... Mid-Stage Golden Core!" Lin Xuan clenched his fists, feeling the powerful strength flowing at his fingertips, his heart agitated.

From the small Foundation Establishment cultivator in Qingyun City to the Mid-Stage Golden Core "Elder Mu Xuan" in the imperial capital today, the hardships were known only to himself. But all of this was worth it!

He adapted to the skyrocketing strength, and then began to count the spoils of war looted from those unlucky ghosts of the Youming Sect.

The things in the four storage bags were miscellaneous, there were not many spirit stones, adding up to less than 50,000 low-grade spirit stones (equivalent to 500 superior ones), it seems that the Youming Sect cultivators were indeed relatively poor. But there were many Youming-attribute materials, elixirs, and cultivation jade slips, although Lin Xuan couldn't use them, he could throw them to the system for recycling, or find an opportunity to deal with them.

What interested him most was a black token, neither gold nor wood, cold to the touch, with the word "You" engraved on the front, and a jumping flame pattern on the back. The inside of the token seemed to contain a strange fluctuation.

"System, identify this item."

【Ding! Scanning complete. Youming Sect core disciple/deacon identity token, containing special restrictions, can transmit messages remotely, and can also be used as a token in specific locations. Its internal fluctuation is of the same origin as the Youming Blood Core and the holy object statue. Suggestion: Can try to parse its communication frequency, or use it for disguise and infiltration.】

Good stuff! Lin Xuan put it away, maybe he could really use it in the future.

After dealing with the spoils of war, Lin Xuan removed the isolation formation of the quiet room.

As soon as he walked out of the quiet room, Qian Duoduo, who had been waiting outside for a long time, immediately greeted him, his face filled with anxiety and concern.

"Elder Mu! You finally came out of seclusion! Do you know that the outside world has almost turned upside down these past few days!"

"Oh? What happened?" Lin Xuan pretended not to know, but his heart was as clear as a mirror.

"After we separated that day, the Zhao family and the Youming Sect people searched the vicinity like crazy! It is said that the peak Golden Core elder of the Zhao family was furious and swore to find you! Although the Ye family did not participate in the search openly, the eyes and ears in the dark have also increased a lot!"

Qian Duoduo spoke fast: "And, I don't know who released the news, saying that 'Mu Xuan' not only has the Condensing Core Jade Liquid, but also mysterious treasures obtained from the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range, and his wealth is comparable to a Soul Formation old monster! Now many desperate people and secret organizations in the imperial capital have become interested in you!"

Hearing this, Lin Xuan's eyes were slightly cold. Someone must be fueling the flames behind this, wanting to put him on the fire to roast. The most likely ones were the Zhao family and the Youming Sect, and the Ye family might also be happy to see it happen.

"The Four Seas Chamber of Commerce is also under great pressure, many forces have come to probe for news about you, all of which were blocked by the Ninth Elder. However, if this continues, I'm afraid..."

The tree wants to be quiet but the wind does not stop. Lin Xuan knew that although he had broken through, his troubles had not decreased, but increased. He had now become a mobile treasure house, and he didn't know how many greedy eyes were staring at him.

"No matter." Lin Xuan waved his hand, his tone was calm, but it carried a self-confidence that made people admire. "Soldiers come to block, water comes to cover. If they want to come and grab, just let them try."

Feeling the unfathomable aura on Lin Xuan that was completely different from before his seclusion, Qian Duoduo was stunned for a moment, then widened his eyes and took a deep breath:

"Elder Mu... you, you broke through?! Mid-Stage Golden Core?!"

Five days, breaking through from Golden Core Stage 1 (on the surface) to Mid-Stage Golden Core?! This speed... is simply appalling! Is the effect of the Condensing Core Jade Liquid so terrifying? Or is it that... this Elder Mu himself has a foundation that is frighteningly deep?

Qian Duoduo's gaze toward Lin Xuan changed completely, besides the previous cooperation and investment, there was a trace of awe.

"Just a lucky breakthrough." Lin Xuan smiled faintly and didn't say much.

He cast his gaze out the window, the sky of the imperial capital was still prosperous, but the undercurrents were surging.

Breaking through to Mid-Stage Golden Core is just the beginning.

The road ahead may be more difficult, but it will also be more exciting.

It's time to take the initiative to meet the "wind and rain" of this imperial capital.

(End of Chapter 40)