Chapter 0271: The Terrifying Core Lake
Ning Cheng unscrupulously kept absorbing the spiritual qi, transforming it into his true essence, before finally leading it to fill up his Core Lake. Although the speed and volume of the spiritual qi that Ning Cheng was absorbing was horrifying to the extreme, but to the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect’s Small Spiritual Domain, this amount of spiritual qi was still insignificant.
As a month passed by, Ning Cheng slowly let out a breath, before he finally opened his eyes. His eyes were full of joy and a kind of satisfaction, this was a feeling that one simply wouldn’t be able to understand if one cultivated only with the help of spirit stones.
Although he was still at Profound Congealing 7th Level in his cultivation, but his Core Lake was now completely filled. Ning Cheng, at this point, was very clear in his heart that he could easily advance to the Profound Congealing 8th Level and even Profound Congealing 9th Level but with just a thought, at most he would only have to wait for a few breaths in between. For him, whether he was at Profound Congealing 7th Level or the 9th Level, there was basically no difference, the difference would arise only when he advanced in a qualitative manner that would cause his Core Lake to expand once again.
Ning Cheng stood up, with the benefits of cultivation that he was able to obtain in this place; he really did not want to leave this place. However, Ning Cheng still felt that the cultivation in the Small Spiritual Domain was not as simple as what it was made out to be, he made his way to the deeper parts of the Small Spiritual Domain, and once again found a light blue coloured stone protruding above the ground before he finally sat down in front of it.
Sure enough, Ning Cheng could feel that the effect of cultivating here was much better than his previous location; it seems that the deeper you went inside the more obvious the effect it would have on your cultivation. However, Ning Cheng was also aware that this change was very small, it not for him absorbing terrifying amounts of spiritual qi, and was replaced by an ordinary cultivator then maybe they would not be able to feel this difference.
Ning Cheng decided to stay right here and cultivate until his three months of time was completely used up, and set up a simple defensive array formation around him, before finally starting to cultivate.
“Katcha.” As Ning Cheng once again started to cultivate, there was simply no need for his to strike the barrier to the Profound Congealing 8th Level, allowing him to break through that gap between the two levels with ease. He stepped into the Profound Congealing 8th Level, causing his Core Lake to once again congeal to an even thicker state while its size expanded almost exponentially.
It seems that the previous guess that he had made was definitely not wrong, whether he forcibly advanced quickly or slowly advanced in natural manner in his cultivation, the results would still be the same for him. Although there would definitely be some gaps in his strength between the two methods, but this gap would simply be insignificant.
The newly expanded Core Lake on his advancement to the Profound Congealing 8th Level once again started to fill up. Ning Cheng did not even have to wait for a long time before he once again stepped into the Profound Congealing 9th Level.
At the Profound Congealing 9th Level, Ning Cheng could now literally feel the surging true essence in his Core Lake, giving him a strong sense of power that almost made Ning Cheng think that he could now kill a Soul Essence Cultivator alone, without anyone’s help.
With his Core Lake giving out roaring like surges, the expanding and congealing Core Lake was once again filled up in almost no time. However, Ning Cheng was aware that he had to advance to the Profound Core Realm inside this place in one go. If he could not advance to the Profound Core Realm inside here, then the next time he wanted to advance to the Profound Core Realm without having such a good place to help him out, it would turn out to be very difficult for him.
With Ning Cheng continuously absorbing the spiritual qi, the liquid true essence in his Core Lake was constantly being reinforced. The true essence kept surging in his Core Lake while at the same time was cycling through his meridians, which gave Ning Cheng a very painful feeling as if he was being torn up from the inside. It even caused some of the impurities in his body to be squeezed out by the strong true essence, showing that the true essence was essentially washing Ning Cheng’s body clean from the inside and out as it cycled through it.
Ning Cheng soon felt that something was wrong, although he did not have a master to learn from, he knew the process of advancing to the Profound Core Realm. During the process the Core Lake would continuously surge, before a golden core solidified suspended above the space above the Core Lake.
But his Core Lake, although was continuously surging around, but it was unexpectedly starting to compress the true essence, as the quantity of the true essence continued to reduce, it induced even more absorption of spiritual qi turning it into more true essence.
As time passed by, Ning Cheng was increasingly feeling weird about this, would this situation continue indefinitely. Just how much of spiritual qi would he have to absorb to form the Golden Core aah? If the three month time period was over, and he was transmitted out, then what would he even use for cultivating? Spirit stone? That would just turn out to be a joke.
Although he knew that something was amiss, but Ning Cheng did not dare to suddenly stop cultivating. At least until this moment, even though his Golden Core has not yet started to form, his strength was still increasing, there was simply no doubt about this fact.
As a few more days flashed past, the liquid true essence in Ning Cheng’s Core Lake was still under constant compression and recompression. Spiritual qi was also continuously being absorbed and transformed into new true essence repeatedly, without showing even half a hint of change.
In the end, Ning Cheng simply stopped caring about it. And instead only focussed on the constant absorption of spiritual qi for his cultivation, who cared if he could not form his Golden Core in time? As long as his strength was continuously on the rise. The only thing he felt a bit depressed about was that the time of three months was simply too short for him.
Not knowing for how long he had been cultivating for, this particular day the liquid true essence in Ning Cheng’s Core Lake suddenly stopped increasing. Ning Cheng was still in doubt when he saw the liquid true essence that was compressed to an extreme point in his Core Lake suddenly collapse into a point, before transforming into a huge and crazily rotating vortex.
He was finally starting to form his Golden Core; Ning Cheng almost went mad with joy. He knew that this phenomenon was the prelude for the formation of the Golden Core.
With his crazy absorption of spiritual qi, while simultaneously operating his cultivation method, it finally brought him to the point of forming his Golden Core.
After a full three days, the huge vortex in Ning Cheng’s Core Lake suddenly disappeared. Replaced by a dragon eye fruit sized Golden Core suspended just above his Core Lake.
This Golden Core contained a terrifyingly powerful true essence, making Ning Cheng convinced that at this moment he could casually take care of even a late stage Profound Core Cultivator. At the same time, his Golden Core was surrounded by an indescribable Dao Charm aura, allowing Ning Cheng to experience even more new things regarding cultivation. He even felt that his grasp and comprehension of that spear from the Thunder Domain City had also grown much clearer.
Although he did not understand as to why there was liquid true essence still left in his Core Lake after the formation of his Core Lake, Ning Cheng still chose to put his efforts on taking control of his Golden Core in order to accelerate the consolidation of his cultivation.
After the formation of the Golden Core, the Core Lake also began to slowly calm down. As Ning Cheng continued to cultivate, he could feel that the speed of his absorption of spiritual qi now was much faster than it was ever before.
In just a few more days, Ning Cheng was finally able to completely consolidate his cultivation at the Profound Core 1st Level. With such vigorous true essence and powerful spiritual consciousness, Ning Cheng could not help but shout out in joy. As to how powerful he was currently, it was something even he was not able to predict, only by going against a Soul Essence Cultivator would he be able to find out to what extent has his power grown to.
At this time, Ning Cheng immediately wanted to try and bring out the Everlasting Blue Thunder City residing in his Zifu to test out his current strength, even if he could not bring out the Blue Thunder City, he felt that bringing out that kind of flickering shadow would certainly not be a problem, however Ning Cheng forcibly held back on his impulse.
He was inside the Small Spiritual Domain and had been cultivating for a long time, and was also not aware if he was being monitored. Moreover he also had to be extremely careful about this kind of a wonderful thing, in case he was being monitored, it was still ok if he was seen to be cultivating in a fast manner, but once he brought out the Everlasting Blue Thunder City, and such a thing was noticed, then it would definitely not be a good thing for him.
Ning Cheng had a hunch, that this Everlasting Blue Thunder City was not a simple magical weapon at all.
“Don’t know how much time I am left with.” Ning Cheng spoke to himself, as he looked down at the jade symbol that he had tied to his wrist. He could see that the jade symbol had already lost his brilliance, and had become somewhat grey.
Just over half an incense stick time later, ‘Katcha’ a sound rang out, Ning Cheng saw that the jade talisman had finally disintegrated into flying ash, while simultaneously a powerful force immediately surrounded Ning Cheng taking him away.
The old man was still at the entrance of the Small Spiritual Domain. That old man on seeing Ning Cheng coming out, showed a faint smile, before he shook his head.
It was obvious that he knew Ning Cheng had been cultivating in the Small Spiritual Domain for three full months, but had only reached the 1st Level of the Profound Core Realm, causing him to feel somewhat disappointed. In the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect, any other Profound Congealing 7th Level Cultivator, if cultivated for three months in the Small Spiritual Domain, would have at the very least reached the Profound Core 3rd Level. Cultivating for one month inside the Small Spiritual Domain was equivalent to ten years of cultivation in the outside world; this was definitely not an exaggeration but rather a fact.
Ning Cheng cleaned himself up, and gave a brilliant smile to the old man before speaking, “I will be leaving now, later when I have the free time I will often drop by this place.”
Finished speaking, Ning Cheng also did not wait for the old man to answer, before he quickly left the entrance. Others may not be satisfied with his progress, but Ning Cheng was more than satisfied with it. Moreover the reason he had said the words that he would be dropping by this place more often, apart from feeling happy, was because he was finally aware of the effect of cultivating in the Small Spiritual Domain, he had already made up his mind to look for every possible way to obtain even more cultivation jade cards for the Small Spiritual Domain.
Therefore, even though Ning Cheng left, he however did not go back to his residence, rather he rushed directly to the Assignments Hall. He knew that to obtain the Small Spiritual Domain’s jade cards, it was necessary to go and undertake assignments, moreover undertake those assignments, which the academy had attached a significant importance. Only by completing the assignments attached which the academy paid importance to, would he be able to obtain the cultivation jade cards of the Small Spiritual Domain.
Ning Cheng had just left the entrance of the Small Spiritual Domain, when a Profound Congealing Disciple keeping an eye on the outside of the Small Spiritual Domain sent out a message.
“Good kid, so he finally comes out.” A Profound Core 8th Level Cultivator in the Rainbow Fall Makeshift Market spoke out in a ferocious manner, as he looked at the communication pearl in his hand. The next moment he had already left the makeshift market.
This Profound Core Cultivator was none other than the Profound Core Cultivator who was scammed out of a hundred thousand high grade spirit stones by Ning Cheng three months ago, because of which he not only was ridiculed by others everywhere, it even cause his cultivation to stagnate.
“Haha, Elder Brother Hu, long time no see. I see that you have finally come out of the Small Spiritual Domain, your strength also seemed to have advanced considerably, hearty congratulations aah.” Ning Cheng was still looking at the academy assignments on the display array formation, when a warm voice sounded out from behind Ning Cheng.
Ning Cheng looked back at the Profound Core Cultivator who had called out to him, and asked in a puzzled voice, “Who are you? Did you just call me ‘Hu’ a moment ago?”
[TL Note – The character for ‘Hu’ literally translates to ‘Con/Rob’]
This Profound Core Cultivator’s heart immediately sank, he increasingly had a bad feeling, but even if the feeling was not good, now that this person was caught by him, he did not fear anything.
This Profound Core Cultivator suppressed the anger rising in his heart, and was barely able to speak out the words, “Junior Apprentice Brother Hu, I’m old Wang who lives next door to Han Wen. We met three months ago, don’t you remember? Three months ago, I had also brought you your hundred thousand spirit stones, you said that you would let me borrow a cultivation jade card for the Small Spiritual Domain, I’m that old Wang aah.”
Ning Cheng frowned, and put on a thinking face, before he spoke out after a moment, “Old Wang next door to who, I do not understand what you are trying to say, sorry, it seems you got the wrong person.”
Ning Cheng shook his head and turned away.
At this point, the Profound Core Cultivator who had called out to him was sure that he was cheated; he gave a sneer, and with a single step arrived in front of Ning Cheng, “Cheating this grandpa out of spirit stones, and still wanting to live peacefully? Dream on.”
“So you want to rob me?” Ning Cheng in almost an instant was overflowing with a murderous aura, and in just a short period of time, all the people in the Assignments Hall shifted their focus on where Ning Cheng was. They could not help but think as to who among the two had such a huge courage, to dare bring out such an intense murderous aura in the Assignments Hall.
That Profound Core Cultivator on sensing that intense murderous aura coming from Ning Cheng was completely shocked in his heart, not waiting for him to speak up, a cold and stern voice immediately descended, “What is going on? Dare to bring out such a murderous aura in the Assignments Hall, who has such big courage?”
As this voice descended, a middle aged Soul Sculpting Deacon appeared in front of Ning Cheng and that Profound Core 8th Level Cultivator.
“Respected Deacon, this Profound Core Senior Apprentice Brother, relying on his cultivation being higher than me, blocked me to rob me of my spirit stones. I did not want to give it to him, but he intended to use force, as an Inner Sect Disciple of the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect, even if his cultivation is stronger than me, I will not submit to him.” Ning Cheng was also quite the crafty fellow, and was the one to complain first, as he certainly knew the importance of having an upper hand.