Grinding EXP From a Demon Hunting Ship-Chapter 43: Upper Sect Cyan Profound, The 9 Dharmas of Core Formation
Donglong Island Harbor.
A fresh sea breeze blew in from the sea.
Su Ye looked up and saw the Sea Crocodile moored quietly in the harbor!
After being refitted by the Luo Family’s cultivators, the captured Pirate Ship’s damaged hull had been repaired and repainted, making it look brand new!
At the same time, many of the crude and savage native decorations had been removed, giving it more of a Yaoguang flair.
Its pure white sails were raised, like the holy wings of an Angel!
"The repaired Sea Crocodile will be equipped with a tier-one, mid-grade Slippery Wind Array. When activated, it can greatly increase the ship’s speed for a short time!"
"Furthermore, the Sea Crocodile will be fitted with four ballistae and have a standard crew of eighty!"
"A fully-equipped armed Pirate Ship!"
Luo Qing’e turned, her dark blue skirt shimmering.
She smiled softly and looked at Su Ye.
"Do you like it, my husband?"
"I love you, Qing’e!"
Su Ye said, taking two steps forward and grasping Luo Qing’e’s hand.
Su Ye was deeply moved.
A woman so intelligent, quick-witted, and beautiful was already a rare treasure.
What’s more, she didn’t even ask for a bride price, instead gifting him a fully-equipped spirit ship as a dowry. Such a woman was truly hard to find in this world!
’A beauty’s grace is a heavy debt...’
...
He boarded the Sea Crocodile.
WHOOSH... Su Ye took a deep breath.
In that single breath, his Spiritual Sense spread out like a tide, covering the entire ship!
The long-severed state of Harmony was restored!
Su Ye’s eyes shone brightly.
Only now could he finally rest easy, feeling the security of having the ship safely in his possession.
Seeing Su Ye’s heartfelt joy, Luo Qing’e smiled.
After a moment, her expression turned serious, and she spoke.
"My husband, the high sect’s decree has been drawn up and promulgated. The sanctions against the Shu Family are about to begin."
"The counterattack on Fuling Island is the consensus of the entire clan. Preparations will take half a year at most before it begins."
"My husband, you must use this time to prepare for battle and familiarize yourself with the spirit ship!"
Luo Qing’e’s expression was solemn.
The start of the sanctions was like the sounding of a war horn, signaling another great battle between the Luo and Shu Families.
Naval warfare was terribly brutal; even her father, a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator, had perished in it.
Seeing that Su Ye would also soon be heading out to sea, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of worry and fear.
Su Ye nodded gravely, reassuring her.
"I know..."
At that moment, a long-held question surfaced in Su Ye’s mind.
’Everyone on Donglong Island knows of the high sect, but what is its actual strength? What are its internal politics like?’
It wasn’t that Su Ye was worrying needlessly.
A single decree from the high sect had completely reversed the situation in the war between the Luo and Shu Families.
He couldn’t help but feel uneasy knowing nothing about such a colossal power.
Luo Qing’e pondered for a moment before speaking.
"The high sect is called the Cyan Profound Sect. It has existed for nearly a thousand years, with dozens of great Foundation Establishment cultivators and several Crystal Realm masters within its ranks. It oversees nearly a hundred Foundation Establishment families like our Donglong the Luo Clan."
"Although their Golden Core master passed away a hundred years ago, leading to a slight decline, the Cyan Profound Sect’s mountain gate remains unshakable, protected by a fourth-tier Array and a fourth-tier Spiritual Treasure."
"Today, in the southeastern Yaoguang Islands, the Cyan Profound Sect is still the undisputed hegemon!"
"That genius from the Shu Family with the Earth Spiritual Root became a disciple of one of those Crystal Realm masters..."
"However, those masters are all currently vying for power and resources. Each one wants to be the first to step into the Golden Core Realm..."
"That master is unlikely to risk breaking taboos and showing favoritism to the Shu Family for the sake of a single disciple, as it would put him at a disadvantage within the sect."
Luo Qing’e analyzed the situation with a calm expression and clear logic.
Su Ye listened, agreed with her analysis, and now had a general understanding.
"But... the Crystal Realm?"
"Isn’t it Golden Core after Foundation Establishment?"
This was the first time Su Ye had heard of a realm after Foundation Establishment, and he asked out of curiosity.
The Ghost Water Skill contained extensive descriptions of the Foundation Establishment Realm, but it never mentioned any realms beyond it.
"Ascending directly from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core? In ancient times, that wouldn’t have been wrong."
"Back then, most Cultivation Techniques involved attempting Core Formation right after reaching Foundation Establishment."
Luo Qing’e didn’t deny it, nodding with a light smile.
"However, this method of Core Formation was not only extremely difficult but also incredibly risky, with a slim chance of survival."
"Even if one succeeded by a stroke of luck, the quality of the resulting core would vary wildly."
"At that time, there was the saying ’Nine Grades of Core Formation,’ with the Ninth Grade being the lowest and the first grade being the highest."
"The bottom three grades were collectively known as the Fake Core. They granted only four hundred years of life, their Magical Power and Divine Techniques were pathetic, and it was extremely difficult to advance their cultivation. Most Fake Core cultivators could never reach the Mid-stage Golden Core in their entire lives."
"The middle three grades were slightly better and were called the True Core. They granted six hundred years of life and offered a chance of reaching the Nascent Soul Realm."
"Only top-tier geniuses who formed an upper-three-grade Golden Core could enjoy eight hundred years of life. Their cores contained an inherent Alchemy Skill, and only then could they be called a True Method Golden Core!"
"Fortunately, in recent antiquity, a master of Great Techniques reformed cultivation methods and added the Crystal Realm."
"A Crystal Realm master condenses a Magic Power Crystal, gaining five hundred years of life, and nurtures a ’Divine Technique Seed’ within it."
"Afterward, they polish the Magic Power Crystal and further refine and nurture the Divine Technique Seed. Once they reach Crystal Perfection, they can attempt to break through to the Golden Core Realm!"
"And the Golden Core formed in this way..."
Luo Qing’e paused before continuing.
"...at the very least, can cultivate a single Alchemy Skill!"
"Therefore, for cultivators today, as long as they can form a Golden Core, its power and lifespan correspond to the True Method Golden Core formed by top-tier geniuses in ancient times!"
"The saying of ’Nine Grades of Core Formation’ has been abandoned. It has been replaced by the ’Nine Methods of Core Formation’!"
"The rank of a Golden Core is now determined by the number of Alchemy Skills a cultivator has condensed!"
Su Ye’s eyes lit up, and he exclaimed in amazement.
"The great experts of recent antiquity were truly ingenious..."
’The Magical Power of the Crystal Realm was slightly stronger than that of the worst Fake Core, but it possessed growth potential that a Fake Core couldn’t compare to and a lifespan that would make Foundation Establishment cultivators weep!
That’s right. The greatest advantage of the Crystal Realm wasn’t actually the ’Divine Technique Seed,’ but the lifespan!
In ancient times, were the cultivators who managed to form a Fake Core or a True Core really that bad?
They were still the cream of the crop!
But Foundation Establishment cultivators only had two hundred and forty years of life.
Facing their rapidly approaching end, many ancient Foundation Establishment cultivators could only sigh in despair and condense a Fake Core to extend their lives.
If they had been given another two hundred years, they might very well have been able to form a True Method Golden Core!’
After a moment of reflection, Su Ye’s brow twitched again as he asked, puzzled,
"Since the Crystal Realm was established by a great expert, where did all the corresponding third-tier things in the world come from?"
"I can understand man-made things like magic treasures, pills, and talismans, but what about demonic beasts, ores, and Spirit Medicines...?"
"Well..." Luo Qing’e said.
"One of my ancestors once traveled far into the Outer Sea and had the good fortune to listen to a public lecture by a Golden Core master."
"During that lecture, someone else asked the same question, and the Golden Core master’s response was..."
Luo Qing’e’s expression grew slightly solemn as she said in a deep voice,
"’Cultivators refine yin and yang and cultivate the five elements, using the human body to emulate heaven and earth...’"
"’But in what way are heaven and earth not also learning from us?’"
