It’s indeed a nice feeling to have backing. This Core Formation breakthrough is practically a "free pass" for him. "Alright, you can peacefully go into seclusion. Master will safeguard you from outside." Master Yu Ling stepped on a Golden Lotus and gradually moved away, until her silhouette disappeared at the edge of the pond. Chen Sansi stepped forward, flying onto the Twin Lotus Throne at the core area of the pond, sitting cross-legged, focusing his mind, and began to circulate his cultivation technique within. The first stage, refine the physical body! The three spiritual objects for Core Formation are: Fire Ganoderma, Moonlight Golden Bell Flower, and Creation Jade Dew. The first two are used to refine the physical body. Two Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures flew out from the storage ring, hovering before Chen Sansi. He opened his mouth wide and swallowed them into his abdomen. With the circulation of the cultivation technique, Fire Ganoderma and Moonlight Golden Bell Flower were instantly refined into an innate essence energy, merging into his limbs, bones, and Eight Extraordinary Meridians, cleansing the mortal flesh. Meanwhile, the Lotus Throne beneath Chen Sansi began to emit a seven-colored spirit light, raising streams of clear water from the pond that nurtured his Heavenly Spirit, occasionally seeing golden koi leap across, resembling Divine Dragons spiraling. His physical body started to undergo a transformation! The impure energy transformed into filaments of contaminated energy, bursting out from his nostrils and mouth, the body resonates with Heaven and Earth, absorbing the Heavenly Dao laws, leaving ant-like golden patterns on the surface of his flesh and bones. Next, it’s a matter of repeating this process step by step until the meridians also undergo transformation. Under multiple supports, Chen Sansi faced no hindrances in the first stage, smoothly achieving success in refining. Immediately after, comes the second stage—Heart Trial. In his dantian, the Magic Sea surged with waves, stirring up turbulent emotions. His mind started replaying scenes from the moment he arrived in Po Yang County like a revolving lantern. Tax officers collecting taxes, Qin Xiong visiting, targeting by Selected Point, Immortal Treasure mystery, until leading people across the Yangtze River, Four Crossings of Hongze... Searching his conscience, Chen Sansi walked all the way with a clear heart. Previously, he embarked on the long path of cultivation for the purpose of establishing himself in a world of chaos. Now, he continues to strive, first for himself to reach higher places, then for countless lost souls and the citizens who chose him. Without the support of the people along the way, there wouldn’t be the Xuanzhu mystical energy, nor the Heavenly Book Array, nor a series of victories. Perhaps, he would have died outside Hu Lao Pass, died in the Northern Great Desert, died on the banks of Feishui River... What Chen Sansi could do is to try his best to maintain the current peace of Eastern Continent, not to betray people’s trust, the Great Han’s loyal souls, and his master’s spirit watching from the heavens. He has no heart demon, only unwavering determination. He breezes through the Heart Trial stage effortlessly. At the moment Chen Sansi passed the Heart Trial, a deafening crash resonated beside his ears, his body uncontrollably plummeted, falling into another dimension. In his dantian, the Magic Sea completely lost control, no longer bearing the boundless inclusivity of a Sea of All Rivers, replaced by rampant and savage devouring. The meridians began to ache painfully, mana became chaotic. If it weren’t for the initial refining of the physical body with meridians absorbing Heavenly Dao laws creating a transformation, a cultivator would explode and die at this step. The Lotus Throne beneath him activated once more, the gentle seven-colored spirit light entered his body, soothing the violent mana. Seizing the moment, Chen Sansi operated the slightly modified "Swallowing Fire Technique," finally calming the end-of-the-world tsunami. In the deepest section of the vast sea, a dazzling spirit light suddenly erupted, like a golden star submerged in the seabed for eons, now unable to be restrained, rising gradually from the abyss. Centered on the golden star, forming a bottomless whirlpool, like beneath the Magic Sea lies an endless abyss, or lurking a Taotie Divine Beast, greedily absorbing the waters of the Magic Sea. The whirlpool expanded larger and larger, under its devouring, the surface lowered swiftly, transforming from vast ocean to rolling Yangtze River, then into rushing river water, until becoming a trickling stream, ultimately drying out the final drop of sea water. Only then could be seen, the one devouring the Magic Sea wasn’t an infinite abyss, nor a Taotie giant beast, but a dazzling Golden Core like a blazing sun! Golden Core, achieved! A thunderous sound roared, and heaven and earth started to transform dramatically. Chen Sansi suddenly opened his eyes, raising his head to look. Only to see the once clear and boundless sky of the Lotus Treasure Land suddenly gather massive dark clouds. Behind the rolling clouds, fierce roars echoed repeatedly. The wrath of the Heavenly Dao! The dark clouds surged and raced, transforming into a majestic Divine Beast covering the sky and sun, opening its abyssal maw, spewing purple Heavenly Thunder. The final stage, after Core Formation, Minor Heavenly Tribulation, nine Heavenly Thunders! Chen Sansi was well-prepared, he didn’t dodge, his flesh, bones, and meridians lit up with law runes, his whole being transformed into a Light of Escape rushing upwards. Approaching the Heavenly Thunder, even without fear in his heart, his body began to tremble, hair bristling upright. This is truly terrifying! Chen Sansi shouted loudly, a pink Lotus Petal spirit light bloomed brightly, one into two, two into four... Ultimately forming a complete Lotus shield, floating above his head. Transformation Blessing Lotus! Also a gift from Master to specifically resist the Heavenly Tribulation. The first Heavenly Thunder struck down. Chen Sansi hid behind the Blessing Lotus, feeling like holding a shield being hammered by a Giant Hammer, his body diving down, but he wasn’t inflicted with any substantial harm. The second Heavenly Thunder arrived in rapid succession. The Blessing Lotus successfully withstood it, merely showing a tiny crack. The third one, fourth one... ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ NoveI(F)ire.net With each Heavenly Thunder strike, the damage on the Blessing Lotus petals expanded further. After enduring the seventh Heavenly Thunder, the surface cracks had become like a spider’s web. Finally, the Blessing Lotus shattered completely. Nothing stood before Chen Sansi. The ninth Heavenly Thunder fell subsequently, containing the collective wrath of the Heavenly Dao, layered across eight times, more intense than the initial wave. Longdan Bright Silver Spear emerged quietly, Burning Sky Fire enveloped his entire body, turning Chen Sansi into an Ascending Heavenly Divine Dragon, directly confronting the Heavenly Thunder. The Divine Dragon howled in agony and dissipated, the flames on his body extinguished in an instant, limbs weakly drooped, plummeting straight down into the Lotus Blessed Land from the heights. The Lotus Throne again revealed its might, the dewdrops on the petals fell like a gentle rain onto Chen Sansi, within a few breaths healing the minor injuries from resisting the Heavenly Thunder. Above the heavens, the Divine Beast took one last glance at the human cultivator on the ground, then completely dissolved, along with the rolling dark clouds slowly dispersing. The tribulation ended. In an instant, Chen Sansi felt his mana surging within, the scope of Divine Sense expanded several times over. From this moment, he is truly a Core Formation Cultivator! [Cultivation Technique: Swallowing Fire Technique. Golden Core Early Stage] [Melt Fire: Golden Core formed, Taoist technique multiplies, can merge fire within the body, creating Abnormal Fire.] Chen Sansi had long felt that although his body housed many fires, they weren’t able to simultaneously exhibit their full potential, only limited in various situations. He immediately sat cross-legged, forming seals with his hands like shadows, left hand Burning Sky Fire, right hand Ten Thousand Beast Fierce Fire. Between the two flames, a Bagua Dharma Seal appeared. The Bagua Dharma Seal devouring the two flames began spinning, shattering the laws contained within the two fires, then re-merging them, transforming into a brand new flame. Burning Sky Intense Flame! In the palm of Chen Sansi, the crimson flame transformed into countless Divine Beasts galloping without end. This flame possesses the attributes of both Burning Sky Fire and Ten Thousand Beast Fierce Fire, not only capable of burning the opponent’s mana, but also containing the combined power of the two flames.