mtlumby2d Chapter 319 : Core Formation Grand Ceremony
Chapter 319 : Core Formation Grand Ceremony
The azure sky was washed clean, with drifting clouds unfurling at ease.Xu Lingling hooked her arm around her best friend’s left arm. Her steps looked graceful, yet in truth she was moving with brisk urgency.
“What are you rushing for? Chen Beiwǔ isn’t going to run away.”
Xu Ziqing, dressed in a flowing palace gown of molten-gold flame hues, shot Xu Lingling a sidelong glance.
“When was I rushing?”
Having her thoughts exposed, Xu Lingling stuck out her tongue, her expression rather shy.
The corner of Xu Ziqing’s mouth twitched as she irritably patted her best friend’s slender waist. “Remember to keep your bearing. Chen Qin is here at this gathering.”
“What does it matter if Sister Qin is here?” Xu Lingling blinked and played dumb.
“Fine then. Since you’re willing to be the younger one, I won’t stop you.”
Xu Ziqing frowned slightly and, under the guidance of a maidservant, pushed open the door to the tea room.
Inside, Chen Beiwǔ was reclining sideways on a cushioned couch by the window, idly toying with a white jade teacup between his fingers, his expression relaxed.
Opposite him sat a beautiful female cultivator in a misty-rose plain long dress. Her movements were skillful as she boiled water and brewed tea.
The fabric of her attire was soft as flowing water, drifting like passing clouds, perfectly outlining an overwhelmingly striking figure.
Between the swaying hems of her skirt, her long, slender legs appeared faintly, glowing with a cool, pale sheen under the room’s ambient light. They were exceptionally eye-catching. Even Xu Ziqing could not help but pause for a brief moment, alarm bells ringing loudly in her heart.
Good heavens—after merely a dozen or so years apart, just what kind of beautifying cultivation art had Chen Qin practiced?
Whether it was her figure, her looks, or her temperament, she far surpassed her former self from the Qi Refinement days by countless times. Even Xu Ziqing herself felt her heart stir at the sight.
This woman was absolutely a formidable rival, not to be underestimated!
“You’re here. Come, sit down.”
Chen Beiwǔ lifted his head and waved warmly.
He did not have many close friends, but individually imparting Core Formation experience to each of them would have been far too time-consuming.
Thus, he had taken the initiative to arrange this gathering, intending to discuss the Golden Core Great Dao together.
“Yes, it’s been a long time, old classmate.”
Xu Ziqing smiled with familiarity, teasing lightly. “First place on the Jade Void Rankings, creator of the Nascent Core Method—Beiwǔ, your reputation is spreading everywhere now. You really gave me quite a scare.”
“To be honest, over the past few days alone, there have been no fewer than dozens, if not hundreds, of heaven-proud women secretly asking me about you.”
At this point, Xu Ziqing paused slightly and deliberately lowered her voice with a mysterious air. “Even that one who ranks fourth on the Jade Void Rankings—the usually aloof Fairy Xinya—has openly praised your profound cultivation and extraordinary bearing on several public occasions.”
“What, are you planning to help matchmake for me?”
Chen Beiwǔ glanced at Xu Ziqing, knowing that this confidante of his was feeling a bit jealous.
“Fairy Xinya is fine, but what about Fairy Lingling?” Xu Ziqing smiled sweetly, deliberately changing the subject and joking.
In an instant, everyone’s gaze turned toward Xu Lingling, who wore a shy expression.
“Let’s forget about Lingling,” Chen Beiwǔ laughed and shook his head. “We’re too familiar with each other.”
Hearing this, Xu Lingling felt a complicated mix of emotions, unsure whether she should feel happy or disappointed.
Xu Ziqing rolled her eyes at Chen Beiwǔ.
The way he put it—no matter how familiar Xu Lingling and Chen Beiwǔ were, could they really be more familiar than she and Chen Beiwǔ, who had already turned raw rice into cooked rice?
“It’s been a long time. Your cultivations have all improved quite a bit.”
After sharing some recent anecdotes, Chen Beiwǔ swept his gaze over the three old friends, each with a distinct style, and brought up the main matter. “You’ve all stepped into Foundation Establishment. What kind of core are you planning to form?”
As soon as these words were spoken, the relaxed atmosphere in the tea room immediately grew more solemn.
When it came to one’s path of cultivation, few cultivators were willing to joke around.
What was more, the old classmate sitting before them was Chen Beiwǔ, who was practically being touted by the Immortal Alliance’s official website as the ‘Founding Teacher of the Foundation Path.’
Xu Ziqing was the first to speak, her gentle smile unchanged. “The Great Dao is arduous. For me, being able to forge a third-grade Golden Core would already be my limit.”
She did not aim unrealistically high. Even among cultivators of the Thirteen Immortal Sects, those capable of forming a third-grade Golden Core were not many.
Xu Lingling nodded along, her voice filled with anticipation. “Aiming high yields middling results; aiming for middling yields the low. My goal is a second-grade Golden Core. What if I really succeed?”
Chen Beiwǔ’s gaze then fell upon Sister Qin.
“As long as I can form a core, that’s enough. As for the grade of the Golden Core, that’s not something I should be worrying about,” Chen Qin said softly, pursing her lips.
Core Formation was unimaginably difficult. A single misstep meant death and dao obliteration.
Even with Senior Hu’s assistance, she did not have much confidence in her chances of advancement.
After all, the Core Formation target given by Senior Hu was a first-grade Golden Core, far beyond her own expectations.
Hearing this, Chen Beiwǔ pondered for a moment. Without holding anything back, he began from the most fundamental aspects—gathering earthly baleful essence, using bonded primal origins to refine the core embryo, harmonizing the dragon and tiger, and capturing Kan to fill Li. He explained in detail his understanding of condensing imperishable golden-natured mana and the various key points of mobilizing divine sense and qi-blood, laying everything bare.
The three women knew full well how precious such Core Formation experience was. They straightened their postures and focused intently on Chen Beiwǔ, not even blinking.
Xu Ziqing nodded from time to time, listening with thoughtful expression.
Chen Beiwǔ spoke with clarity, often using just a few words to pierce through confusion and directly strike at the core of Core Formation.
Unknowingly, the look in Xu Ziqing’s eyes as she watched Chen Beiwǔ grew somewhat dazed.
Xu Lingling, on the other hand, strained to memorize everything, afraid of missing even a single word. She occasionally raised her hand to ask questions, completely oblivious to the change in her best friend’s gaze.
Chen Qin listened with the greatest focus, her eyes shining throughout.
“The nine revolutions of the Golden Core are not merely an accumulation of mana, but place even greater emphasis on foundation.”
After finishing his explanation of the basic Core Formation essentials, Chen Beiwǔ extended a finger and lightly pointed forward.
Buzz!
A stream of five-colored radiance flowed from his fingertip. Though it appeared gentle, it contained vast imperishable golden nature. It naturally evolved in midair, interweaving into an incomparably pure nascent core.
Within the nascent core, the Five Elements rotated, the five organs transformed into five qi, the five qi attained Great Unity, yin and yang alternated, all conforming to the numbers of the Primordial Origin’s grand derivation, containing supreme profundities.
“I have a method that can solidify the core foundation and purify imperishable golden nature.”
As Chen Beiwǔ expounded the Dao, the nascent core suspended in the air suddenly split apart, transforming into three strands of Primordial True Qi that slowly flew toward the three women’s brows.
“Relax your minds and carefully experience the mysteries of Primordial True Qi. As for how much you can comprehend, that will depend entirely on your own fate.”
Hearing this, the three women did not dare to be careless. They immediately closed their eyes, allowing the three strands of True Qi to enter their brows, and soon immersed themselves in the exquisite foundational mysteries.
Watching the three enter a state of enlightenment, Chen Beiwǔ lifted his teacup and leisurely sipped his tea.
He had not transmitted the complete Great Unity Five Directions Nine Revolutions Foundational Method, only a portion of it—but that alone would be enough to benefit the three of them for a lifetime.
“Buzz.”
At this moment, Chen Beiwǔ’s phone vibrated, and a message popped up.
“Duel?”
Chen Beiwǔ’s eyes shifted slightly, and he directly replied with a no.
After the last duel ended, although Yu Zhaohua had lost wholeheartedly, his days of quiet cultivation had also come to an end.
Every two or three days, his phone would vibrate on schedule, displaying Yu Zhaohua’s challenge invitation.
At first, perhaps due to unfamiliarity, the messages Yu Zhaohua sent were still relatively polite.
As their interactions increased, her messages became more and more concise and blunt.
“Why?” Another vibration followed, a new message appearing.
“You’re too weak. I don’t have time today—I’m accompanying three friends,” Chen Beiwǔ replied.
“Men or women?”
“Women.”
“All women?”
“Mm.”
On the other end, Yu Zhaohua frowned slightly, somewhat surprised.
The Immortal Alliance’s prodigies were mostly flirtatious by nature.
She had originally thought that Chen Beiwǔ, who had forged a Primordial Origin Golden Core, was wholeheartedly devoted to cultivation and an exception. She had not expected him to be a philanderer as well.
“Then how about we duel tomorrow? I’ll bring you a bottle of Tiger-Bone Profound Wine,” she sent another message.
But he was merely gathering with old friends to chat casually. There was absolutely no need for Tiger-Bone Profound Wine.
“The day after tomorrow I’m going home. No duels, no wine,” Chen Beiwu sent a casual message to brush Yu Zhaohua off.
On the Cosmos Splendor Path, Golden Core True Persons under forty years old were already extremely rare, let alone in a remote place like Yuan-Kong County.
To celebrate the Chen Family producing a Golden Core True Person, his father and mother had specially organized a Core Formation Grand Ceremony, sending out invitations far and wide. Now all that was left was for him to return home and take the main seat.
Besides that, Chen Beiwu’s breakthrough to the Golden Core realm and his public teaching session had earned him quite a number of congratulatory gifts from Dao Venerable Immortal Families and True Venerable aristocratic clans. He could conveniently bring some of them back for his parents.
With sufficient cultivation resources, his father and mother would have no difficulty breaking through to Foundation Establishment in the future and extending their lifespans.
Chen Beiwu had no intention of finishing a future closed-door cultivation only to see black-haired people sending off white-haired ones.
“Huff.”
As time passed, Xu Ziqing was the first to awaken. The look she gave Chen Beiwu was filled with sincere admiration.
With just a single instance of guidance, all the bottlenecks and confusions she had encountered on the path of Foundation Establishment cultivation had completely dissipated.
Without even needing a year, she was confident she could break through from mid-stage Foundation Establishment to late-stage Foundation Establishment.
Next was Xu Lingling, her pretty face slightly flushed, excitement impossible to hide.
“Buzz!”
At that moment, Chen Qin slowly opened her eyes. The qi circulation around her body grew increasingly condensed as she leapt in one go from late-stage Foundation Establishment to peak Foundation Establishment.
“Thank you.”
Chen Qin abruptly stood up, took two steps forward, and tightly hugged Chen Beiwu, her tone sincere.
Seeing this scene, the expressions in Xu Lingling’s and Xu Ziqing’s eyes changed at once.
Smelling the refreshing fragrance rushing toward him and feeling the tempting softness, Chen Beiwu first patted Sister Qin on the back, then主动 stepped back two paces and raised his teacup.
“Sister Qin, there’s no need to say that. There really aren’t many people around me who can be called friends.”
At that moment, faint light from outside the window happened to fall on Chen Beiwu’s side profile, casting a soft filter over him.
“The Great Dao is long and distant. One needs companions to walk together and encourage one another. I hope all of you can soon complete your cores and successfully bear the Golden Core.”
As his words fell, Chen Beiwu used tea in place of wine and drank it all in one go.
Xu Ziqing gracefully raised her cup in response. Her gaze lingered on Chen Beiwu’s side profile, a smile rippling through her eyes.
Jealousy aside, she had not misjudged him.
The Immortal Alliance cultivation world had always been pragmatic. Countless cultivators, once they gained power and status, became arrogant, forgot old acquaintances, and even regarded past bonds as stains and burdens.
It was no exaggeration to say that Chen Beiwu’s current status and reputation were already worlds apart from theirs.
Yet Chen Beiwu treated his friends exactly as before, without the slightest trace of distance or indifference. This sincerity and remembrance of old ties were exceedingly rare in the Immortal Alliance cultivation world.
To have a friend like this— even if they could not become dao companions—was still an immense blessing on the path of cultivation!
After the tea gathering ended, Chen Beiwu took the three women to tour Yuqing Immortal Sect for another day and night, drawing the attention of many sect prodigies.
Those prodigies did not feel there was anything improper about Chen Beiwu being surrounded by three beauties. On the contrary, they felt genuine envy, even jealousy, toward Xu Ziqing, Xu Lingling, and Chen Qin—three Foundation Establishment female cultivators—wondering what virtue and ability they possessed to be able to accompany the top-ranked figure of the Jade Void Rankings.
……
Early the next morning.
Water-Extension Residence.
Xu Ziqing slowly woke up, traces of languor and confusion lingering in her eyes.
She propped herself up slightly. The brocade quilt covering her slipped down a bit, revealing her delicate collarbones and a small patch of snow-white, fine skin.
Yet she did not notice this inadvertently revealed spring scenery. She merely raised her hand subconsciously, using her fingertips to gather the loose strands of hair before her forehead, her eyes gazing dreamily at Chen Beiwu.
“What, not resting a little longer?”
Chen Beiwu turned over and reached out to pull Xu Ziqing into the crook of his neck.
“Aren’t you going home today?”
Xu Ziqing took the opportunity to hug Chen Beiwu tightly.
After seeing off her best friend and Chen Qin, she had changed her train ticket and returned to Yuqing Immortal Sect, only to be reminded by Chen that there was no need to sneak around like this.
What a joke—guard against fire, guard against theft, and guard against best friends.
If Xu Lingling were to learn of her successful example, there was no doubt the other party would immediately choose to give herself away outright.
After continuing their intimacy with Xu Ziqing for another half hour, Chen Beiwu did not take a teleportation array, instead choosing to ride the Fuxi Train home.
……
Yuan-Kong County.
Before dawn had even broken, the inside and outside of the Chen Family estate were already packed with people.
For this Core Formation Grand Ceremony held by the Chen Family, all the prominent figures from the three prefectures near Fallen Dragon Manor arrived in full attendance, with not a single absence, all for the sake of witnessing the bearing of the Chen Family’s qilin son, Chen Beiwu.
After all, a peerless prodigy who formed a Golden Core at only thirty-six years of age and attained the rank of True Person was exceedingly rare.
The now-famous True Monarch Jingyuan of Fallen Dragon Manor had only been a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the age of thirty-six.
Without exaggeration, the appearance of such a peerless prodigy was not only the glory of the Chen Family, but also the pride of Yuan-Kong County, and even of the entire Fallen Dragon Manor.
Inside the Chen Family estate, within a hall decorated in festive splendor.
Chen Dong lowered his head, adjusting his ceremonial attire, unable to hide the excitement on his face.
“Old Chen, take a look—does my outfit look proper?” Madam Huang Xiaoling’s voice trembled slightly.
“Proper, very proper,” Chen Dong nodded, giving his wife reassurance.
“Remember, today is our son’s Core Formation Grand Ceremony. We can’t lose face,” Huang Xiaoling reminded him.
“The Lord of Fallen Dragon Prefecture arrives to offer congratulations—presenting one fire-aspected Earthly-Sha Treasure Beast, the Summoned Qi Tiger!”
“The Lord of Qinghe Prefecture arrives to offer congratulations—presenting one water-aspected Earthly-Sha Treasure Beast, the Nether Abyss Turtle!”
“The Lord of Wanxing Prefecture arrives to offer congratulations—presenting one bottle of third-tier upper-grade treasure pills, the Tribulation-Crossing Treasure Pill!”
“……”
Each announced call from outside was like a heavy drumbeat, striking hard against the hearts of Chen Dong and Huang Xiaoling, straightening their backs and adding several more degrees of radiance to their faces.
A strong son emboldens his parents.
With a son like this, it would not be excessive to call the Chen Family a Golden Core Family ahead of time. Even Nascent Soul True Clans from several surrounding prefectures of Fallen Dragon would have to give the Chen Family ample respect.
However, the very next moment, the master of ceremonies’ voice paused. He mobilized all the mana in his body and shouted out an announcement filled with excitement and reverence.
“T-the Tianyan Commandery Governor arrives to offer congratulations—presenting a pair of five-thousand-year Purple-Pattern Coiling Peaches!”
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire Chen Family estate erupted.
Yet no one dared to speak or comment, and many even subconsciously held their breath.
The reason was simple. Within the Immortal Alliance system, a prefecture lord was usually a Nascent Soul True Monarch, while a commandery lord was typically a perfected Nascent Soul great cultivator.
However, Tianyan Commandery was directly administered by Kaiyuan Prefecture. Its status was special, comparable to an ordinary state, and it was most often governed by a Divine Transformation True Venerable.
Many guests swallowed hard.
Just what kind of true dragon had the Chen Family produced?
To actually draw the personal presence of a Divine Transformation True Venerable—one who stood above the clouds and looked down upon all beings—attending nothing more than a Core Formation Grand Ceremony!
Whether Chen Beiwǔ was flirtatious or not did not concern her. Yu Zhaohua only cared whether he could make time to spar with her.
Because after every duel, she could clearly feel her own transformation.
As for Tiger-Bone Profound Wine?
One’s mouth grows soft after eating another’s food, and one’s hands grow short after taking another’s gift.
For the sake of Tiger-Bone Profound Wine, Chen Beiwǔ probably would not continue to refuse her duel invitations.
“???” Chen Beiwǔ sent a string of question marks.
Tiger-Bone Profound Wine was well known. After consumption, it could temper the physical body, harmonize yin and yang, and strengthen yang essence while stabilizing the foundation. It was suitable for dao companions with vastly different cultivation realms.
Some Foundation Establishment cultivators, after drinking it, could even dual-cultivate with Golden Core cultivators for three days and three nights, without being instantly defeated within a few breaths.