Immortal Venerable of the Beast Race
Chapter 216 - 136 Closed-Door Cultivation for Core Formation_1

Chapter 216: 136 Closed-Door Cultivation for Core Formation_1

Within this context, the applications of Heaven and Earth Spirit Fire are even more expansive, aiding in talisman crafting, artifact refining, alchemy, and array setting. Possessing a tuft of Heaven and Earth Spirit Fire offers convenience in all these pursuits.

For alchemists, having a clump of Heaven and Earth Spirit Fire can boost the efficiency of concocting elixirs as well as the success rate of creating them. Beyond that, it could also enhance the quality of the elixirs.

The Fire Sun Clan once dominated the Donghua Cultivation Realm. It is said that the Great Elder of the Fire Sun Clan possessed the Taiyang True Flame, which ranks fifty-fifth on the Heaven and Earth Spirit Fire List. The Great Elder raised it to the fifth-tier, and with its power, he annihilated two Soul Transformation Cultivators, earning a formidable reputation.

Of course, the Heaven and Earth Spirit Fire List, just like the Heaven and Earth Exotic Insect List, serves merely as a reference. It doesn’t mean that a higher-ranked flame guarantees the strongest power, as what really matters is the tier.

Some Heaven and Earth Spirit Fires with lower rankings but higher tiers can easily overpower those of higher rank but lower tier.

The Red Lotus True Flame is a second-tier Spiritual Fire, fitting for Shen Long to harness. If it were third-tier, let alone subjugating it, he’d be lucky just to escape unscathed.

Returning to his residence, Shen Long entered a secret chamber and slapped his hand on a golden spirit beast bag at his waist. Tens of thousands of Gold Ants flew out from it.

The number of Gold Ants had surpassed one hundred and fifty thousand, and that was with Shen Long intentionally controlling their numbers; their breeding capacity was just too strong. There were thousands of second-tier Gold Ants and dozens in the late second-tier, including the Ant Queen, who was also in the late second-tier.

Shen Long retrieved a beautifully crafted golden jade case and opened it. Inside were several golden orbs with some red patterns on their surfaces—these were the inner cores of second-tier Gold-Winged Fire Ants.

He fed these inner cores to the late second-tier Gold Ants and then pulled out a cyan storage bag. With a flick of the bag’s opening, a streak of cyan light swept by, and a large pile of artifact refining materials appeared on the ground—spoils he had collected from his enemies.

"Enjoy your feast!"

Shen Long said.

The Gold Ants seemed to understand Shen Long’s words and swarmed over, landing on the artifact materials and nibbling away.

The Ant Queen was entirely golden, looking like a massive chunk of gold. It was gnawing on a piece of Golden Sun Wood that was three hundred years old but in its mouth, the wood was as soft as crumbled tofu.

In less than half an hour, the materials on the ground had been devoured.

They clumped together, resembling a vast golden cloud.

Shen Long took out a yellow storage bag and scattered its contents by aiming the opening downwards. A sweep of yellow light passed, and a large pile of items appeared, including ores, Spirit Wood, and even several medium-grade Magic Artifacts.

The Gold Ants rushed forward, with the late second-tier ants taking charge of nibbling on the medium-grade Magic Artifacts.

In less than half an hour, they had consumed everything on the ground.

Shen Long fed two Beast Spirit Pills to the Ant Queen and put them back into the spirit beast bag.

He proceeded to release all his spirit beasts, spirit birds, and spirit insects and feed them Spiritual Medicine and elixirs.

They had all grown to the late second-tier. Their impressive growth rate was thanks in large part to the fact that Shen Long was an alchemist who fed them a Beast Spirit Pill from time to time.

Shen Long took out the Scarlet Crow Cauldron and alchemy materials to begin concocting elixirs.

He opened his mouth and exhaled a red flame, which formed a palm-sized red lotus—the Red Lotus True Flame.

"Go!"

With a light flick of his finger toward the bottom of the Scarlet Crow Cauldron, the red lotus flew towards the bottom of the cauldron.

As the red lotus touched the bottom of the Scarlet Crow Cauldron, it exploded instantly, turning into a mass of red flames that enveloped the cauldron.

Before long, the Scarlet Crow Cauldron turned a red-hot color, and the temperature in the room soared.

Shen Long opened the cauldron’s lid and started placing the alchemy materials inside, then put the lid back on.

Soon, a faint fragrance of medicine permeated the entire secret chamber.

...

Ice Silkworm Valley, Ice Silkworm Pavilion.

Ice Silkworm True Person sat in the main seat, with Chen Bing standing by his side. A tall young man in yellow robes with a begonia flower pattern on the sleeves stood in front of Ice Silkworm True Person.

"Young Master Wang, please convey my message to Madam Wang—I shall certainly attend the grand celebration of your Wang Family’s ancestor on time," Ice Silkworm True Person said amicably.

The Begonia Valley Wang Family’s ancestor was about to celebrate her eight-hundredth birthday, and many guests were invited. The Ice Flood Dragon Fairy’s representative had sent out invitations, asking Ice Silkworm True Person to attend the celebration.

"Yes, Senior Lin, I will definitely convey the message once I return," the young man in yellow replied.

"Chen Bing, see Young Master Wang off," Ice Silkworm True Person instructed.

Chen Bing acknowledged with a reply and personally escorted the young man in yellow to leave.

...

Half a year swiftly passed by, and we’re in Qinglian Garden.

In a certain secret chamber, Shen Long was seated on a red cushion, intently staring at the Scarlet Crow Cauldron as a rich aroma filled the room.

After a while, Shen Long withdrew the Red Lotus True Flame, lifted the cauldron’s lid, and inside were ten Beast Spirit Pills, each adorned with nine pill patterns.

"Top-grade elixirs! I’ve finally succeeded," Shen Long exclaimed excitedly.

He had refined a high-grade elixir during the Foundation Establishment Stage, which far surpassed the other second-order alchemists of the Spirit Control Sect.

"No wonder alchemists all want a clump of Heaven and Earth Spirit Fire!"

Shen Long talked to himself, putting away the ten Beast Spirit Pills.

He walked out, and Lin Shan came to meet him face to face.

"Senior Brother Shen, Senior Sister Qin heard from Junior Brother Qian that you have left seclusion, and she has hosted a gathering at her residence. She invited several fellow sect members to attend and sent you a Sound Transmission Talisman," Lin Shan said.

Currently, at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, Lin Shan was responsible for handling miscellaneous affairs for Shen Long, receiving any Sound Transmission Talismans and filtering out the important messages for him.

"Is that all? Only Senior Sister Qin sent me a Sound Transmission Talisman?" Shen Long asked.

"Senior Brother Li, Senior Brother Zhao, and Senior Sister Wang have all sent Sound Transmission Talismans, saying that you should come over and gather when you’re free."

Lin Shan took out a thick blue book and handed it to Shen Long; it contained the visitor’s identity information, the purpose of their contact, and even the time was marked.

"Thank you for your hard work, Junior Brother Lin," Shen Long said.

"What hard work? Being able to assist Senior Brother Shen is my good fortune," Lin Shan nonchalantly replied.

He spoke the truth; by handling affairs for Shen Long, his status was now much higher than that of an ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

As one of the Seventy-Two Outstanding Talents and the disciple of Ice Silkworm True Person, how many people yearned to have a connection with Shen Long.

With Lin Shan helping Shen Long, his brothers had an easier time finding companions, and Lin Cheng also enjoyed a more comfortable life because of it.

Shen Long took out two cyan porcelain bottles and handed them to Lin Shan, saying, "These are two bottles of Beast Spirit Pills; take them."

He gave him medium-quality Beast Spirit Pills, valuing a few thousand Spirit Stones.

Since Lin Shan helped Shen Long with miscellaneous matters, Shen Long could concentrate more on his cultivation, and he would not treat Lin Shan badly.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Shen," Lin Shan took the two porcelain bottles without refusing.

Over the next two months, Shen Long frequently attended gatherings hosted by fellow sect members, exchanging cultivation insights with other Foundation Establishment Cultivators, while Lin Sisi, who was stuck at a bottleneck, went out to travel.

Two months later, Shen Long arrived at Ice Silkworm Valley to meet Ice Silkworm True Person.

"Master, your disciple is ready to attempt to enter the Core Formation Stage," Shen Long said.

Ice Silkworm True Person nodded, took out a messaging plate that flashed with white light, inputted a spell, and said, "Junior Brother He, are you free? Come to Ice Silkworm Valley. Shen Long is ready to attempt Core Formation, and I have some things I want to discuss with you."

"I’m free, Senior Brother Lin, I’ll be right there," He Xin promptly agreed.

As Core Formation Stage cultivators, Ice Silkworm True Person’s status was much higher than He Xin’s.

It didn’t take long for He Xin to arrive, bringing with him two Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

After exchanging pleasantries with He Xin, Ice Silkworm True Person discussed Shen Long’s imminent attempt at Core Formation.

Looking at Shen Long, He Xin said with a pleasant demeanor, "Shen Shizhu, in accordance with the sect rules, once you cultivate to the Great Perfection of Foundation Building, the Sect will grant you a Spiritual Object for Core Formation. Li Sheng, hand over the Spiritual Object for Core Formation to Shen Shizhu."

A man in his forties dressed in a green robe stepped forward, took out a cyan porcelain bottle, and handed it to Shen Long.

Shen Long checked it on the spot, confirmed it was correct, then nodded and signed for it.

After chatting idly for a good while, He Xin arranged for Li Sheng to take Shen Long to a Spirit Land where he could attempt Core Formation.

Ice Silkworm True Person gave him a set of top-quality defense Magic Artifacts to help him through the tribulation.

Half a quarter of an hour later, following Li Sheng, Shen Long arrived at a small valley surrounded by mountains on three sides with a three-story tall cyan pavilion inside. The plaque read "Qingmei Pavilion."

"Senior Brother Shen! This is Qingmei Pavilion; here is the key for entry and exit," Li Sheng took out a cyan square token and handed it to Shen Long.

Shen Long expressed his thanks, took the token, opened the pavilion’s ward, and entered the Qingmei Pavilion. He came to a secret chamber where the spiritual energy was exceptionally rich, more than double that of his residence. Cultivating here would significantly speed up his cultivation progress.

Shen Long activated the Qingmei Pavilion’s wards, sat down cross-legged, and began cultivating.

Different cultivators spent varying amounts of time attempting Core Formation; it varied from person to person.

Foundation Establishment Cultivators attempting Core Formation would attract Heavenly Tribulation, also known as the Thirty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations, consisting of three rounds, with nine tribulations each, totaling twenty-seven tribulations. The tribulations were not very difficult; the real challenge was solidifying Mana.

The Mana of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator was liquid, and solidifying it into a core was the step into the Core Formation Stage. Some cultivators, even after consuming Spirit Objects for Core Formation, failed to solidify their Mana, resulting in failure. They would need decades before they could attempt Core Formation again.