Chapter 299 : Core Formed, Origin Begins

Chapter 299: Core Formed, Origin Begins

The Five Qi Vine appeared to deliberate for a long time, but in truth, it was only a fleeting instant.

“Inn.”

Staring at Chen Beiwu, the Five Qi Vine's eyes sharpened. Its vine body suddenly expanded, and the small flower atop it burst forth with dazzling five-colored divine radiance.

“Woof.”

Iron Egg crouched low, fur bristling, eyes locked tightly onto the Five Qi Vine.

While Chen Beiwu was in seclusion, attempting to form his core, it would not allow any beast to interfere.

“It’s alright, Iron Egg.”

Chen Beiwu opened his eyes and soothed the tense Iron Egg, who acted as if facing a great enemy.

He then turned his gaze to the Five Qi Vine and lifted the formation restrictions of the cave abode, opening a path for it.

After several years of living together, Chen Beiwu had come to understand the Five Qi Vine’s true nature.

Although the Five Qi Vine often acted like a petty thief, it wasn’t malicious. Its nature was much like a child who couldn't distinguish right from wrong—stubborn, acting solely on its own will, and somewhat reclusive.

In Chen Beiwu’s view, a Heavenly Gang Mystic Beast with such a personality was actually easy to get along with, and could become a close companion.

Though the Five Qi Vine always claimed to value freedom, in reality, it feared loneliness more than anyone. When it found someone it considered a true friend, it would become overly attached, offering a level of trust incomprehensible to ordinary people.

To put it nicely, one could say the Five Qi Vine possessed the heart of a child, doing everything purely based on affection.

Just like now—it could have easily stayed out of Chen Beiwu’s core formation and watched coldly from the sidelines, but instead, it suddenly erupted and chose to intervene.

“Apologies, Iron Egg is simply like this. It doesn’t want me disturbed, lest the core formation fails.”

Iron Egg’s low growl made the Five Qi Vine’s heart sink halfway, and it even felt a fleeting urge to just walk away.

However, Chen Beiwu’s calm demeanor and his act of lifting the formation barriers gave it a warm sense of trust.

“Inn.”

The Five Qi Vine’s tendrils took the initiative to wrap around Chen Beiwu’s right arm, and the Five Elemental Divine Radiance it had accumulated over the years surged like a spring stream, madly pouring into his body.

‘It’s useless.’

Chen Beiwu spoke through thought.

The Five Elemental Divine Radiance had an exclusive nature. The Five Qi Vine could use it to nourish its origin and heal injuries, but Chen Beiwu couldn’t use it to form a core—at most, it could help recover physical wounds.

The Five Qi Vine also sensed this. Its gaze toward Chen Beiwu showed hesitation, then it reached out its vine tip and lightly tapped his forehead.

“Inn!” (After you form your core... double the reward, and dissolve the Companion Contract!)

The thought landed. The Five Qi Vine closed its eyes, and its vine tip curled slightly.

Seeing this, Chen Beiwu didn’t hesitate.

He nodded and directly formed the Companion Hand Seal, splitting a portion of his divine sense and spiritual power into the Five Qi Vine’s sea of consciousness, forming a blood-red Three Treasures Companion Seal at its core.

“Inn!”

The Five Qi Vine frowned slightly, forcibly suppressing its instinctual resistance and formed the Companion Contract, fully assisting Chen Beiwu in refining and channeling the Five Elemental Divine Radiance.

...

Time flowed like a silent current. Things changed, people moved on.

Twelve years passed in the blink of an eye.

Of those from Chen Beiwu’s generation who had once risen to fame, two Flawless Foundation Establishment prodigies had now successfully formed cores, skipping ranks to become Immortal Sect students and contending with the elites on the Jade Void Rankings.

Among them, the Innate Dao Body, Yu Zhaohua, shone the brightest, ranked second on the Jade Void Rankings, just beneath the sect’s Chief Disciple.

In contrast, because Chen Beiwu had remained in seclusion for too long forming his core—or perhaps because he was deliberately excluded by a scion of a True Venerable Aristocratic Lineage—his name gradually faded, and he became unknown among the sect’s students.

In the Jade Purity Immortal Sect, Three Peaks Cave Abode at Cloud-Resting Residence.

A newly arrived prodigy of the Jade Purity Sect had just finished a cave abode contest, defeating a tenth-level sect senior and securing the right to reside in the Three Peaks Cave Abode.

“Senior Zhu, who lives in that cave abode over there?”

Li Changsheng glanced curiously at a nearby cave abode.

“I’m not sure either. That place has always had a seclusion plaque hanging outside—very mysterious,” Senior Zhu shook his head.

For the sake of Dao discussions, he had subtly tried to inquire about the cave’s occupant, but no one knew. It was as if an invisible hand had erased all traces of that person.

“Senior never visited?” Li Changsheng grew more curious.

“Disturbing a cave abode in seclusion is forbidden by sect rules,” Senior Zhu said meaningfully.

“Rumble!”

“Rumble!”

“Rumble!”

Just then, the entire Cloud-Resting Residence—and even the whole Jade Purity Immortal Sect—shook violently.

Li Changsheng and Senior Zhu looked up, only to see the world’s spiritual energies surging wildly. A five-colored pillar of light shot up from that mysterious cave abode, piercing through the azure sky and forming a massive phenomenon. Their pupils contracted.

‘Someone is forming a core!’

...

Jade Purity Immortal Sect, Sword Dao Forum.

A Nascent Soul True Monarch with immortal grace suddenly felt the sword at his waist tremble, its ringing crisp like a dragon’s cry.

“Hmm?”

True Monarch Sword-Knock frowned slightly and glanced at his sword, which immediately quieted down.

But the students below the forum couldn’t do the same.

“Clang!”

“Clang!”

“Clang!”

One after another, flying swords broke free from their masters’ control, leaping from their sheaths and rising into the sky, hanging in midair.

In an instant, hundreds of swords floated in formation, sword intent bursting forth and converging into a massive Sword Dao River stretching a hundred miles—pointing straight northeast, toward none other than Chen Beiwu’s cave abode.

“This is... the phenomenon of Ten Thousand Swords Paying Homage!” a Sword Dao student couldn’t help but exclaim.

True Monarch Sword-Knock narrowed his eyes and looked northeast.

The Sword Dao was supreme, and when one merged with the sword, they could receive homage from ten thousand blades.

Yet he sensed no aura of someone reaching the Fifth Realm of Sword Dao—only the unmistakable aura of core formation.

This reminded him of an ancient record:

“Origin is the ancestor of the Dao. When the Golden Core is formed, all methods tremble. It may be the progenitor of all cores—when weapons witness it, they all bow in reverence!”

‘There’s actually a prodigy in the Jade Purity Immortal Sect who can reach this step!’

True Monarch Sword-Knock instinctively calculated the heavenly will, but the hexagram was shrouded in chaos. Only a strand of innate Golden Nature soared into the sky, severing yin and yang, confirming the suspicion in his heart.

Those who forged a Primordial Golden Core would see all ties to the past vanish, future karma set by themselves. They were beyond calculation, outside tribulation, able to transcend the Three Realms and surpass the Five Elements—achieving ultimate freedom and rendering all divination techniques ineffective.

Without a doubt, an unparalleled prodigy was in the midst of condensing a Primordial Golden Core—and was on the verge of success.

“Class dismissed.”

True Monarch Sword-Knock swept his sleeve, no longer in the mood to teach. He intended to witness the birth of the Primordial Golden Core with his own eyes.

The reason was simple—the last time a Primordial Golden Core had emerged was ten thousand years ago!

...

At the same time, within the Three Peaks Cave Abode—

Chen Beiwu remained unaware of the numerous phenomena forming outside, or how they had startled many of the sect’s powerhouses. His eyes were fixed solely on the Primordial True Core within his qi sea that had yet to reach perfection.

‘What exactly is still missing?’

Chen Beiwu pondered deeply.

After prolonged nourishment by the Five Elemental Divine Radiance, the Golden Nature of his Primordial True Core had formed naturally within his qi sea, merging into a singular Primordial Unity—reaching the pinnacle of indestructible Golden Nature, qualifying as a Titled Core.

Yet Chen Beiwu still felt it lacked completeness, as though something essential was absent.

‘No matter. If it’s not complete, then I’ll continue refining and nurturing the Golden Nature!’

With that thought, Chen Beiwu consumed the Purple Mansion Forming Nectar and simultaneously drew on the residual power of the Heavenly Derivation Pill, frantically operating the Jade Purity Ninefold Primordial Core Scripture.

Golden Egg and the Five Qi Vine sat with eyes tightly shut, channeling the Companion Contract to help Chen Beiwu refine the Five Elemental Divine Radiance and nourish his core.

“Buzz!”

Perhaps due to the extreme refinement of the Golden Core by the Five Elemental Divine Radiance, Chen Beiwu’s spiritual platform suddenly entered a state of clarity, and he naturally began to visualize the [Jianmu Grand Vast Heavenly River Ascension Dragon of the Five Elemental Unity Landscape].

“Whoosh—”

As the visualization unfurled, the once-sky-piercing Jianmu Tree vanished, replaced by the Primordial Five Elemental Ancestral Tree, a grand entity channeling the five-colored divine lights of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

It towered between heaven and earth, supporting mountains, rivers, forests, and all living things.

At its peak, a silver line divided heaven and earth. Above it, pure energy drifted like mist, radiance forming into stairs—resembling the celestial realm from myth.

There, atop the Celestial Palace, a True Dragon curled through the nine heavens. Its vast body spanned like a galaxy, and it bore three heads, each holding an innate Dao sigil in its jaws. As its whiskers flowed, it caused the Five Elements to reverse their natural cycles:

Metal cut wood without harm; wood overcame earth without obstruction; earth blocked water without drowning; water quenched fire without steaming; fire melted metal without dissolving it.

Behind the Three-Aspect True Dragon, a faint shadow of the Mystic Capital Purple Mansion hovered—that was none other than Chen Beiwu’s Nascent Soul, manifested through his refined essence, energy, and spirit, illuminating all Three Realms with its Primordial Golden Nature.

As the saying went: the wondrous method lies in the heart, and the landscape forms from within.

When the inner vision [Five Qi Riding Three Aspects Ascending to the Grand Primordial Celestial of the Three Realms Landscape] fully merged into the Golden Core, the Primordial Golden Core in Chen Beiwu’s qi sea finally reached completion. It smoothly overcame the Gold Tempering stage, emitting faint ripples of Primordial Dao Rhythms.

...

Elsewhere, at the grand mountain gate adorned with jade steps and radiant clouds, flanked by coiled-dragon Mystic Jade Pillars—

Brilliant light erupted.

The dragon carvings on the pillars came alive, transforming into two divine dragons.

One exhaled pure qi; the other exhaled turbid qi. Above the gate, the ancient seal characters “Jade Purity Immortal Sect” descended, revealing an incomprehensible figure.

This figure was none other than the lingering will of the Jade Purity Immortal Sect’s first ancestor—Primordial Dao Venerable.

“Good.”

One word carried immense weight—terrifying beyond imagination.

This single word stirred all Thirty-Six Minor Cave Heavens and Seventy-Two Minor Blessed Lands of the Jade Purity Immortal Sect, alarming even secluded experts.

In the next instant, a stream of Primordial Ancestral Qi burst from the sect plaque, transforming into a blue-white rainbow and shooting toward the Three Peaks Cave Abode.

“One cycle of tribulation, Golden Core shines through past and present!”

Deep within the Jade Purity Mountains, an old miniature tortoise slowly raised its head, gazing in the direction the Ancestral Qi had gone.

“Excellent, excellent. Not in vain did I make an exception,” the Jade Purity Mountain Spirit said with a gratified expression.

The Jade Purity Immortal Sect should never have been ranked beneath the Five Great Cave Heavens.

Now that Chen Beiwu had received the baptism of Primordial Ancestral Qi, the Primordial Golden Core he had forged was the pinnacle of Titled Cores—even among the Five Great Cave Heavens, few could rival it.

In other words, Chen Beiwu now had the qualifications to represent the Jade Purity Immortal Sect, to challenge the Chiefs of the Five Great Cave Heavens—and even emerge victorious.

...

Within Cloud-Resting Residence, Jade Purity Immortal Sect.

Chen Beiwu sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion when he suddenly sensed a stillness descend over the world.

He opened his eyes and looked up, only to see a chaotic, blue-white strand of Primordial Ancestral Qi breaking through the void.

‘That’s Primordial Ancestral Qi?’

Chen Beiwu’s pupils contracted, and his heart trembled.

Through this strand of ancestral qi, he seemed to glimpse a pair of indifferent eyes.

The owner of those eyes felt like a high-and-mighty immortal. A single glance caused the blood in Chen Beiwu’s body to congeal; every bone cried out in agony under the pressure, and even his freshly condensed Primordial Golden Core showed signs of collapsing.

Fortunately, the gaze vanished in the next moment. The Primordial Ancestral Qi poured into his crown and descended into his qi sea.

“Buzz!”

Under its baptism, Chen Beiwu’s consciousness sank inward. His perfected Primordial Golden Core underwent further transformation:

The core, once the size of a dragon’s eye, expanded threefold. The nine core patterns on its surface turned into nine miniature True Dragons, circling the core in a perpetual cycle of indestructible Golden Nature.

At its center, a humanoid shadow condensed—bearing a nine-tenths resemblance to Chen Beiwu—standing upon five golden lotus flowers.

Cultivators of the Immortal Alliance called this phenomenon “Core-Within-Immortal.”

As the name suggested, only the strongest among Titled Cores could manifest dragons from core patterns and house an immortal within the core aperture.

In ancient times, the grade of Chen Beiwu’s current Primordial Golden Core would have been deemed Immortal Grade, exempt from core tribulations.

“Hahaha!”

Unaware of the concept of an Immortal Grade Core, Chen Beiwu only felt his core formation had succeeded. All shackles within him had shattered, and his spiritual platform was crystal-clear.

Even with the Mirror of Oneness guarding his mind, he couldn’t suppress his joy, and a light laugh escaped his lips.

However, of the three companions by his side, only Iron Egg let out a low growl in response.

Golden Egg and the Five Qi Vine were still seated with eyes shut, fully focused on absorbing and refining the qualitative change from the Primordial Golden Core through the Companion Contract.

“Whew.”

Sensing the vast spiritual power in his qi sea, Chen Beiwu exhaled a turbid breath, quietly attuning to the might of his Primordial Golden Core.

The Primordial Core was formed—severing yin and yang, uniting and surpassing the Five Elements, becoming one with the Primordial Unity. Hence, it was the Primordial Golden Core.

According to the Jade Purity Ninefold Primordial Core Scripture, every cultivator’s technique, spiritual root attributes, temperament, and Companion Beast were different. Thus, the exclusive mysterious ability awakened by the Primordial Golden Core also varied.

“Buzz!”

Just then, Chen Beiwu’s expression shifted. He felt the Nine-Breath Chaos within his heart suddenly erupt, unleashing a flood of golden light.

As a blinding radiance burst forth, when he reopened his eyes, he found himself summoned into the world of Chaos by the Nine-Breath Chaos.

Under Chen Beiwu’s gaze, this chaotic world—without sky or ground, sun or moon, past or future—began to transform.

Pure energy rose; turbid energy sank—forming the division between heaven and earth.

‘As expected, I can’t move!’

Chen Beiwu tested it, but found himself immobilized, as if his body had merged with the chaotic world itself.

This familiar sensation reminded him of the opening of the Ten Directions Gate.

It was precisely through that gate that the passage between two realms was opened, allowing Chen Beiwu to ride the wave—gaining resources from both realms to achieve Flawless Foundation Establishment and the Primordial Golden Core.

His intuition told him that the current mutation of the Nine-Breath Chaos meant his strength or fate had reached the threshold to further control this supreme treasure—and unlock more of its permissions.

“Buzz!”

As time passed, a Fortune Crimson Dragon of Qi Luck emerged from thin air in the chaotic world.

‘All that spectacle, just for this?’ Chen Beiwu was a bit surprised.

While the Fortune Crimson Dragon of Qi Luck was indeed precious, it couldn’t compare to the Nine-Breath Divine Inhalation Ability or the Ten Directions Gate.

In the next moment, the lingering pure and turbid energies in the chaos suddenly merged and entered Chen Beiwu’s sea of consciousness, transmitting the Nine-Breath Divine Inhalation Ability once more—

Allowing Chen Beiwu to finally comprehend what true divine ability really meant!