Chapter 141: Advancing to the Core Condensation Stage

A terrifying pressure descended from the heavens, forming a vast sea of golden clouds above Chaotic Ridge.

Ge Qian remained utterly unmoved. He swiftly drew the baleful-qi funnel, which covered a hundred mu, into the small tree in his dantian. The tree’s branches and leaves trembled, and a cluster of emerald-green shoots suddenly sprang forth. Three black leaves upon them fluttered in the wind before whipping downward.

An incomparably pure spiritual liquid of baleful qi was shaken loose and poured into the Asura vortex.

Ge Qian felt the vortex surge violently, as though it were about to explode. He did not panic. Circulating his art, he caused countless threads of baleful qi to emerge within the vortex, weaving through one another and piercing across its depths. Gradually, they compressed into a core. Its volume shrank, its density increased, and the pressure rose explosively.

This was the process known as vortex compression and core tempering, the advancement into the Core Condensation stage: refining a gaseous vortex into a substantial origin core.

Ge Qian circulated the art to its utmost limit. Within the violent origin core, the threads slowly fused into one. At last, an origin core the size of an egg took shape and stabilized.

It revolved slowly within Ge Qian’s dantian. The dark-green core was full and perfectly round, with runes flowing across its surface. Four Asura sword auras were engraved upon it.

One sword aura was called Baya, the crystallization of courage and wisdom, invincible before all opposition.

Another was called Rakandha. Its roar was like thunder; it could churn the waters of the sea, and its thunderous howl unleashed sound attacks that penetrated everywhere.

A third was called Vimacitra. Its form possessed nine blades, each bearing a thousand backward hooks and nine hundred and ninety serrations, along with eight precious orbs that breathed fire.

The last was called Rahu, meaning “that which veils,” for its enormous blade could obscure the light of the sun and moon.

The four sword auras seemed almost tangible, as though they had come alive, swimming across the Asura Core.

With a solemn expression, Ge Qian opened his mouth and spat out the Asura Core while chanting an obscure incantation.

The Asura Core blazed with light. From the distant Asura Realm, the magnificent wills of the four great Asuras tore through space and poured into it.

The four sword auras underwent a heaven-shaking transformation from within outward. They acquired the true wills of the Asura Kings, and their might increased at an astonishing rate. Only then could it truly be called an Asura Core.

Ge Qian’s heart stirred. He hurriedly severed the connection between the Asura Core and the Asura Realm. He sensed that the four great wills were on the verge of awakening. He had stolen the wills of the four Asura Kings; should they discover him, he would surely incur the fury of the Asura Realm and die without a burial place.

He opened his mouth and inhaled, drawing the Asura Core back into his dantian.

At that moment, the layers of clouds above Chaotic Ridge had piled up until they were as heavy as mountains. Suddenly, the world’s golden source energy erupted and surged into the clouds. A will capable of making heaven and earth tremble descended.

All of Chaotic Ridge shuddered and swayed.

Inside a cavern dwelling on Starpeak sat a handsome young man with a face as fine as jade, a high nose, large eyes, and a stern expression. He was none other than the sect master, Xing Chenfeng. His divine sense swept outward, and his expression grew grave.

“So Ge Qian is advancing to the Core Condensation stage. As expected of one who forged a Heavenly Foundation—he has actually drawn down a Golden Source Tribulation. This rare tribulation targets geniuses who possess extraordinary divine abilities. Envied by heaven and earth, they are struck by the Golden Source Tribulation and ground into nothingness. Since this is a tribulation, it will depend on your own strength. Outsiders cannot interfere.”

After speaking, he issued orders to activate the defensive formation against enemies and seal the news. It absolutely could not be leaked.

Qin Chuchu suddenly opened her deep, beautiful eyes. Her divine sense enveloped Chaotic Ridge, and a smile appeared upon her face.

“It seems my divination was indeed correct. The hope of the Star Sect rests upon him. I wonder whether you can bring me even greater surprises.”

At the Star Sect treasury, Zhou Tian awoke from meditation. His divine sense shot directly through the void.

“It is him. I never imagined that my Star Sect would possess such a prodigy. Building a Heavenly Foundation truly is extraordinary.”

The five peak masters of the Star Sect also directed their divine senses toward Chaotic Ridge. The patriarchs of many clans turned their attention there as well.

One after another, they mounted flying lights and tore through the void to the outskirts of Chaotic Ridge, watching the Golden Source Tribulation that appeared only once in ten thousand years. Ordinarily, cultivators encountered lightning tribulations when advancing to the Infant Transformation stage. This Golden Source Tribulation was something they were witnessing for the first time. Though it had been recorded in ancient texts, seeing it with their own eyes was a rare privilege.

Dai Yue of Flamewave Peak arrived first. Standing in the air, she gazed at the golden tribulation clouds, disbelief showing on her lovely face.

“Ge Qian’s aptitude is mediocre. Why would he draw down such a tribulation? If he can survive it, his future will be limitless. But judging by the situation, he is more likely to die than survive.”

Ge Qian’s expression darkened.

I merely cultivated the Six Paths Sword Art, and heaven and earth have already grown jealous. The heavens truly are narrow-minded. But destroying me, Ge Qian, will not be so easy.

Just as I expected, condensing the Asura Core has drawn down the Golden Source Tribulation. Asura governs slaughter, and slaughter belongs to metal.

Since you have brought down the Golden Source Tribulation, you may as well help me cultivate the Tribulation Body Art.

At that thought, his mind stirred. The King of the Six Paths appeared, bearing three heads and six arms, with six-colored thunder wings growing from his back.

Ge Qian spat out the Asura Core. It entered the body of the King of the Six Paths, where it began to be nourished. He had only just advanced, and his cultivation had not yet stabilized; it was not suitable for combat.

Having completed everything, Ge Qian circulated the Tribulation Body Art, and power surged throughout his body.

At last, the tribulation clouds in the sky could restrain themselves no longer. They transformed into countless sharp golden needles of rain, dense and overwhelming, flooding Ge Qian’s cavern dwelling.

Ge Qian relied on no magical treasure for protection. Instead, golden light burst from his entire body, drawing the sharp rain into itself and absorbing it into his flesh.

The Tribulation Body Art originally simulated heavenly tribulations to temper the body. Now that heaven itself had sent down a true tribulation, many steps could be omitted.

He could cultivate directly—but the danger increased dramatically. A single mistake would result in the destruction of both body and soul.

At first, Ge Qian handled it with ease, slowly tempering his body. But as time passed, the sharp rain transformed into countless three-inch golden blades that battered him in a crushing assault.

The golden radiance around Ge Qian shattered. His body was immediately torn into countless wounds, and he was drenched in blood.

He appeared battered beyond recognition, seemingly on the verge of death. Yet Ge Qian kept his spirit clear, circulating his cultivation art and transforming the golden source energy into his own strength.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Only a skeleton covered in golden runes remained. Every shred of flesh had been carved away by the golden blades. Had it not been for the deep, sea-like eyes within his sockets, anyone would have believed him dead.

Ge Qian endured the excruciating pain, clenched his teeth, and struggled to draw the golden source energy into his bones, condensing it into runes.

More and more runes appeared across his skeleton, layer upon layer, forming a thick garment of symbols.

Suddenly, two beams of golden light erupted from his deep-set eyes and pierced through the tribulation clouds. Ge Qian’s skeleton began to tremble violently.

With every tremor, it grew larger. In the end, it had become a golden skeleton ten zhang tall, resembling an ancient war god.

As the bones writhed, sharply defined muscles of crimson gold emerged, their coarse fibers thick and powerful. They resembled dragons and flood serpents, with bulging veins that contained an inexhaustible, terrifying force.

In the blink of an eye, a towering Ge Qian, ten zhang tall and as mighty as a mountain, had taken shape. When he moved his arm slightly, the air shrieked around him.

Ge Qian had finally completed the first layer of the Tribulation Body Art—the Crimson-Origin Golden Body. Ten zhang in height and crimson-gold from head to toe, he could shatter empty space and split stone with a single punch.

Facing the golden tribulation clouds overhead, Ge Qian released a thunderous roar that resounded throughout heaven and earth. An invisible wave of force surged from his mouth, driving the golden tribulation clouds into a violent tremor.