Chapter 620: Perfect Mastery; Reversal of the Spirit Vortex

"What the hell is going on?"

The thought struck like lightning, and emotions surged. He had not even reached Perfected Mastery of Foundation Establishment, so how could he possibly form a core now?

But on second thought... it actually made sense, considering his state. His divine soul foundation already matched that of a Perfected Mastery Initiate, his spirit power reserve was equally vast, and he also possessed a physique of tremendous strength. By every measure, he had already met the prerequisites for Core Formation. And it appeared that this phenomenon was manifesting because... he had abruptly reached Perfected Mastery of the Clear Origin Mystical Pill?

"No way, I'm not prepared! If I force a breakthrough now, I'll almost certainly fail."

The sensation within his body confirmed his fears. As his spiritual power continued to pour into the reversing vortex, his reserves began to wane. The flow was far too much for him to sustain.

"This isn't the right time," he told himself firmly.

He steadied his breathing and began actively using the Clear Origin Mystical Pill Method. Gradually, the vortex slowed. The spirit energy that had been rushing toward it began to flow backward, returning to his sea of qi, meridians, and apertures.

The faintly visible Golden Core that had begun to form, deprived of external support, dissolved under the technique's dispersing power, turning into drops of pure spirit liquid that flowed back into his sea of qi.

After a long while, the vortex slowed down, ceased moving, then reversed into its steady clockwise rotation. The sea of qi calmed, its earlier turbulence fading into stillness. It was like an ocean after a great storm—serene, silent, and vast. The only difference was that the surface of the sea now seemed slightly higher, a faint sign of advancement.

"Though I didn't form a core, this still refined my foundation and pushed me to the eighth stage," Luo Chen murmured

A quiet satisfaction settled within him, though it was soon replaced by confusion. Why had the Clear Origin Mystical Pill Method, a technique meant for detoxifying pills, undergone such a strange transformation upon reaching Perfected Mastery?

As his thoughts raced, the fragments of insight slowly fell into place, forming a familiar pattern. "So that's what it was... It's not just an alchemy technique, it's a Core Formation secret art!"

As the realization took shape, countless clues surfaced to confirm it. The thing he had just experienced, with the vortex reversing, spirit liquid converging and compressing into a Golden Core, and the subsequent manifestations, was identical to the process described in

Dao Revelation of Nanshan

, Adept Nanshan's insights into a Middle Path of Core Formation.

Primordial Convergence, a Lower Path of Core Formation provided by Green Pill Valley as a reward for the battle of the Jilei Mountains, described the creation of an internal spirit power vortex as the key to forming the Golden Core. The vortex within Luo Chen's body was ten times larger than what that method described, and it had required no external materials or assistance, but it was fundamentally the same thing. And Adept Nanshan was the founder of the Tao family... a family of Green Pill Valley!

It thus became clear that the Clear Origin Mystical Pill and Primordial Convergence shared the same origin. The only difference lay in their grade and refinement; Luo Chen's version obviously belonged to a far higher tier.

This Clear Origin Mystical Pill had come into Luo Chen's hands through Huo Hu, an inner disciple of the Flame Alliance. It was said that after Tao Wan succeeded as Dao Scion, she had ensured that nearly all of the sect's restricted inheritances that had leaked out were... recovered. The Clear Origin Mystical Pill was very likely among them. It didn't seem to be the most vital of those legacies, but it was certainly one of their foundational arts.

No one could have imagined that Luo Chen would devote twenty years of tireless effort to cultivating this method. With the system's assistance, he had pushed it to the stage of Perfected Mastery and even surpassed its original limits.

"To think that Green Pill Valley's Middle Path for Core Formation is actually an alchemy art," he murmured. "But then again, it makes perfect sense. Green Pill Valley is a grand sect founded upon a complete alchemical legacy. Beyond their daily pill refinement, they have extended the Dao of Alchemy into other fields. The Five Peaks formation follows the same principle. In essence, forming a Golden Core is another kind of alchemical refinement. If that's the case, then using alchemy to form the core is only natural."

A faint smile appeared on Luo Chen's face as the realization settled in. Practicing the Clear Origin Mystical Pill to Perfected Mastery meant he had mastered a true Middle Path Core Formation art. Once he reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, he would be ready to attempt the breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm at any time.

The discovery lifted the shadow that had lingered over Luo Chen's heart. Even the loss of a hundred years of lifespan no longer weighed on his mind.

The loss of the Blazing Fire Miasma and the Lightning Immortal Pearl, as well as the Ice Fortress's current plight, which meant that they could offer him little support... All these things seemed insignificant now.

"I'm just one step away from reaching Perfected Mastery," he said quietly. "If I continue cultivating steadily, I'll eventually be ready to attempt Core Formation. Still, even though the Clear Origin Mystical Pill is powerful, it lacks something essential. If I had forced the breakthrough earlier, I would definitely have failed. It truly is only a Middle Path for Core Formation, after all."

He then calmed himself down and began to think about the road ahead. His foundation had become far too deep, and a mere Middle Path for Core Formation offered too little chance of success. To increase his odds, he would likely have to rely on Beaded Curtain Lock.

The moment he thought of that method, he remembered Chu Kui. That man had been studying the art relentlessly, but his divine soul foundation was lacking; he needed Luo Chen to provide him with supreme-grade Spirit Passage Pills.

I've been in the Ice Fortress for nearly three and a half years. Chu Kui must have long since run out of Spirit Passage Pills. Perhaps it's time to go back.

Once the thought of returning surfaced, it could no longer be contained. If this had been in his early days of cultivation, the Ice Fortress would have been of great benefit to him. As a major sect, it possessed abundant resources and protection that few others could offer. However, he now stood at the late stage of Foundation Establishment, only a single step away from forming his Golden Core. The assistance the Ice Fortress could provide had become minimal.

When it came to high-tier resources, even the sect itself was in short supply. As for Core Formation arts, none of them suited his cultivation path, not to mention he already possessed four different arts of his own. The only thing that might truly help him here was the guidance of a Golden Core elder, but such figures were rarely available. Even Ice Torrent herself had said

"If you can't find me, seek out Ruthless instead."

Clearly, everyone was busy.

Besides, there was little worth mentioning about cultivation in the Foundation Establishment Realm. The process revolved mainly around accumulating spirit power, a pattern that remained the same for nearly every realm below the Nascent Soul Realm. Although each realm had its subtle variations, Luo Chen had long since comprehended every detail of Foundation Establishment cultivation with complete clarity.

"It's time to go back. The people at Tianlan Immortal City must be growing impatient," said Luo Chen as he made up his mind swiftly.

***

As it turned out, his judgment was correct. The members of the Luo Tian Society had indeed grown restless waiting for him.

Three days before Fairy Icesoul's Core Formation Ceremony, the Luo Tian Society sent a team to personally deliver their congratulations. At the head of the group was Gu Caiyi herself. But their true purpose was not the ceremony; it was Luo Chen. When she finally met him in the Ice Prison, her composure broke completely, and she threw herself into his arms.

Soft sobs escaped from her lips as she trembled against him. Luo Chen sighed quietly and gently patted her back to calm her down.

Only after a long while, when she had cried herself out, did he smile and say, "Alright, enough of that. You're already a mighty Initiate. Why are you acting like a teenager?"

Gu Caiyi rested her head against his chest, her voice soft and muffled. "They said you were badly injured and unconscious for more than half a year. How could I not worry?"

Luo Chen paused, realizing he had nearly forgotten about that. To be precise, it had not been half a year at all. It had been three whole years!

For those three years, he had remained wholly focused on refining the Withering-Flourishing Fire. Although he had been conscious the whole time, he had been entirely immobile. That left him little different from someone lying in a coma.

During that time, members of the Luo Tian Society had often tried to visit him, but the cultivators of Ice Fortress had turned them away each time. It was no wonder they had grown even more worried.

He shook his head with a faint smile. "But I'm fine now, aren't I? My body's strong, my spirit's clear, and I've even advanced to the eighth stage of Foundation Establishment."

Gu Caiyi lifted her gaze, and when she saw the healthy glow on his face, her worries finally melted away. Yet before she could speak, her gaze fell upon his hair, now streaked with pale gray.

"This..." Gu Caiyi covered her mouth as tears welled once more in her eyes.

Luo Chen appeared unconcerned. When he noticed it, he smiled lightly and said, "Don't worry. It's just a minor side effect, nothing more. Once my cultivation advances, my vitality will return to normal. My hair too."

"Really?" Gu Caiyi asked anxiously.

Luo Chen rubbed her head affectionately and said, "You're the one person I could never lie to."

Seeing that she still looked uneasy, he changed the subject at once. "So, what brings you all here?"

Gu Caiyi wiped her tears and said earnestly, "Our society is a vassal of the Ice Fortress. Now that Fairy Icesoul has attained Golden Core, it's only proper that we offer our congratulations. Also, Huiniang mentioned that some of Ice Fortress's specialty resources are quite valuable in trade. She asked me to discuss potential cooperation while I'm here."

"Specialty resources?" Luo Chen asked curiously.

"Yes!" Gu Caiyi nodded. "For instance, the first-tier demon fox blood you often asked us to purchase for alchemy mostly comes from Ice Fortress. I even heard they sometimes manage to hunt second-tier snow foxes."

Demon fox blood was one of the primary ingredients in refining the Spirit Passage Pill. When Luo Chen learned that Ice Fortress sometimes caught second-tier snow foxes, genuine interest stirred within him. The Spirit Passage Pill was a remarkable pill, known for its ability to strengthen a cultivator's divine soul. Yet because of its limited tier, its effects weakened significantly for cultivators with higher cultivation. It had worked well for Chu Kui in the past, since he had never taken it before, but for Luo Chen, the improvement it offered was only modest.

He had long intended to refine and perfect the formula, and it was not a matter of showing off. When the formula first came into his hands from Mi Shuhua, it had been incomplete. Only after personally reconstructing and verifying it through his status panel had he been able to master it fully. Creating a formula from scratch was a whole different animal, but he possessed ample experience in reconstructing and perfecting incomplete ones.

If he could replace the main ingredient with something of a higher tier and adjust the auxiliary materials accordingly, perhaps the Spirit Passage Pill could be raised to a higher tier, and if he could pull that off, the benefits to him would be immense. The thought alone filled Luo Chen with anticipation.

"Negotiate carefully with Ice Fortress," he said. "Try to secure a stable and long-term supply of both first-tier demon fox and second-tier snow fox blood. I may need large quantities of these materials soon."

Gu Caiyi nodded firmly. "Alright, I'll do as you say."

The two spent a brief moment together, speaking softly and exchanging a few heartfelt words, but before long, Gu Caiyi rose to leave. With only three days remaining before the Core Formation Ceremony, she needed to settle the trade arrangements ahead of time. Whether it succeeded or not was another matter entirely, but she intended to give it her best effort.

As for Luo Chen, he quietly left the Ice Prison.

***

Three days later, the Core Formation Ceremony began as scheduled. Fairy Icesoul, who had not appeared in public for many years, revealed herself before the world as a freshly minted Adept.

The Falling Cloud Sect, Ailao Mountain, Green Pill Valley, and Hundred Flowers Palace each dispatched a Golden Core elder along with several Foundation Establishment disciples to offer their congratulations. Even the rival Jade Cauldron Sword Sect sent a Golden Core sword cultivator to attend.

The ceremony proceeded through its grand and elaborate rituals, opening the eyes of many smaller sects who had never witnessed such splendor. When the Adepts later sat together to discuss the Dao, every gaze in the crowd was drawn to them.

Luo Chen alone stood apart; rather than listening to the conversation, he quietly made his way down the slopes of Heavenly Mountain.

"You're leaving?"

He turned toward the woman behind him and bowed slightly. "Yes. The Ice Fortress isn't suited to my cultivation, and staying here for long would do me little good."

The third-tier spirit land of the Ice Fortress differed greatly from others. Its extreme climate made the spirit energy of water and ice overwhelmingly dense. For cultivators who specialized in those elements, it was an ideal place to train, for someone like Luo Chen, whose cultivation centered on wood and fire, the environment was hardly hospitable.

His cultivation had reached the verge of the eighth stage of Foundation Establishment long ago. Yet after three and a half years in the Ice Fortress, he had only managed to push past the final barrier through painstaking effort. He had even relied on the Clear Origin Mystical Pill reaching Perfected Mastery to refine his spirit power before barely making that final breakthrough.

Ice Torrent studied him in silence for a moment, then gave a slow nod. "In that case, I won't keep you. The Ice Fortress will likely become quite busy in the days ahead."

Busy? Is she referring to the Core Formation Ceremony?

Luo Chen turned the words over in his mind. He did not press further, but spoke sincerely, "Senior Sister Ice Torrent, thank you for your care during this time. I'll continue refining more Jade Dew Pills in the future to supply the cultivators of Ice Fortress."

Ice Torrent gave a quiet hum in response. As Luo Chen prepared to descend the mountain, she added softly, "Keep a low profile after you return. Try not to invite trouble in the near future."

Luo Chen nodded without much thought, taking her words as a simple warning. After all, the Ice Fortress had announced to the outside world that he had been severely injured and that his foundation had suffered damage. If he appeared too high-profile after leaving, it would only attract unnecessary attention and might even cause trouble for the sect.

After Luo Chen departed, Ice Torrent stood atop the mountain, her gaze distant as she looked down at the grand Core Formation Ceremony. A quiet sigh escaped her lips.

"I've done all I can," she murmured. "Within the sect, I've nurtured Icesoul. Beyond it, I've drawn Luo Chen. What comes after will depend on the will of heaven."

***

Across a vast frozen plain a hundred li from the Ice Fortress, a flying boat pushed steadily through the howling snow.

Without warning, the vessel came to a halt. From the endless white below, a lone figure suddenly rose into the air and landed upon the deck.

Moments later, the flying boat resumed its course, speeding toward Tianlan Immortal City.