Xianye

Chapter 475 A Loyal Heart Cannot Be Corrupted
The Three Realms of Golden Core Cultivation

The body takes shape, gradually transforming into nine forms, and the spirit contains form.

In the practice of the "Nine Gradual Returns" minor realm, there are nine steps: returning to the kidneys, returning to the heart, returning to the liver, returning to the lungs, returning to the spleen, returning to the dantian, returning to the qi gate, returning to the essence chamber, and returning to the spirit chamber.

The upper and lower parts are connected like a ring, and the heat is gradually increased from light to dark, hence the name "Zhou Tian Jiu Huan" (Nine Returns of the Heavenly Cycle).

The essence of this minor realm of cultivation is to extract the wisp of innate nature from the golden elixir in the abdomen—a nature that is still and transformative, returning to the boundless—and revert it to the physical body and soul.

Once the physical body and soul have received this kind of nourishment and been influenced, and their innate nature has manifested outwardly, then the final success can be considered achieved.

This so-called innate nature is quite different.

This is the primordial essence that arises from the interaction of movement and stillness when the Golden Elixir is successfully formed; it is also known as the "Primordial Essence of Immortals, the True Seed and the Root of the Origin".

Its quality and quantity are predetermined from the moment it is made into a pill, and it is difficult to change no matter how much manpower is used afterward.

The human body is a small world in itself, which has the ability to combine movement and stillness, and is in harmony with the wondrous mechanism.

That innate nature has long resided within the body, but as one grows older and the spiritual energy cultivated and absorbed becomes mixed, it is contained within and does not manifest. If there is a proper method, it can be stimulated again.

Returning the innate nature of the Golden Elixir to oneself, and using the new nature of the Golden Elixir to stimulate the old nature of the human body, is exactly what is meant by "the pearl shines brightly again like the sun, and the new and old continue to nourish the sacred embryo!"
However, this process is fraught with various intricacies and obstacles.

The quality of one's innate nature within the Golden Elixir, the strength of one's physical body and spirit, or the amount of magical power one possesses will all affect one's cultivation.

With Chen Heng's abilities, he also devoted himself to arduous cultivation in this "Plain Yellow Expanse of Void Gathering Cave Heaven" for thirty years, never daring to relax for a moment, and never stopping along the way.

There's no need to elaborate on ordinary Taoist practitioners.

It would take at least sixty years to master this nine-fold technique, and even longer would not be surprising.

“A period of seclusion can last for thirty to fifty years, and that is only for a Golden Core cultivator. However, for a cultivator of a higher realm, a single spiritual journey can often take thousands or even tens of thousands of years.”

I wonder what the situation will be like then?

Chen Heng silently sensed the changes brought about by this breakthrough in his cultivation, and thought to himself.

Compared to before entering the cave, his magical power has increased by more than 30%, making him much more adept at using supernatural abilities and magical artifacts.

Moreover, their physical bodies became even more solid and robust. After their innate nature was manifested again, it was as if they had received some kind of powerful medicine to nourish them. Every move they made contained the immense power of wind and thunder.

As one's cultivation deepens, the cultivator's form and spirit become wondrous, and the mysterious and extraordinary manifest themselves.

Those who reach the second level of the Golden Core realm, even those who have never practiced the advanced method of the Tai Su Jade Body, possess a strong physical body and a body as hard as metal.

If they abandon their means of self-defense and simply stand still, waiting for the enemy to attack.

Under such circumstances, even cultivators of lower realms would find it difficult to quickly kill them using talismans and artifacts. They would often have to expend a great deal of effort and energy to inflict some injuries.

While it's true that refining qi can kill those who have reached the Foundation Establishment stage, those who have reached the Foundation Establishment stage can kill those who have reached the Purple Palace stage, and those who have reached the Purple Palace stage can kill those who have reached the Cave Mystery stage, these things, though remarkable, are not enough to cause anyone to be too astonished or lose their senses.

The concepts of the Insightful Cave and the Golden Elixir, and the Golden Elixir and the Primordial Spirit, are among the most rare and remarkable, enough to make any who hear them look up in awe!
Back then, He Lizi, with his profound spiritual power, beheaded Wang Shu, who had already achieved the elixir stage. This caused a great uproar in Xiaoming Great Swamp, and even reached the ears of several patriarchs of governance.

Wei Ling had a very high opinion of this person's talent. In his eyes, Chen Heng and He Lizi were both outstanding talents in swordsmanship and were destined to become pillars of the Jade Palace in the future!

If it weren't for Chen Heng's sudden appearance, the position of chief disciple among the ten disciples in Crane Cry Mountain would probably have been taken by him back then.

In Chen Heng's opinion, if He Lizi had used the sword light splitting technique to launch a fierce attack at that time, Wei Daofu's Shaoshang Xuanze Bi would probably have been unable to withstand it. Although Shi You, who was a reincarnation of a Great Arhat, was equally powerful, he would have had little chance of winning against such an offensive.

Once one reaches a certain level, the so-called "weak defeating strong" becomes largely impossible, so He Lizi, who has achieved this, should not be underestimated.

Although Chen Heng had once defeated He Lizi, he had never underestimated him.

Decades have passed in the blink of an eye. It is unlikely that this person will remain stagnant in the same place. He will surely be present at the future Dan Yuan Conference.

Similarly, figures like Yin Wuji of the Plague Sect and Gu Yi of the Huzhao Sect also had similar deeds and were once famous in their time.

If we also add to that the veteran Golden Core cultivators from various sects who deliberately suppressed their cultivation progress and delayed breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage while waiting for the Dan Yuan Assembly…

In this way, the future Dan Yuan Conference will surely be extremely fierce, and the battle will be earth-shattering!
Meanwhile, heroes and outstanding individuals emerge from all corners of the land, like dragons hidden in the waves, ready to leap straight to the heavenly gate.

If one becomes complacent because of temporary success, one will likely be brought down from the top and unable to achieve great ambitions!

"It seems that if we want to secure our fortune at the Dan Yuan Assembly, we should not only cultivate the Taiyi Divine Thunder, but also try our best to advance our cultivation to the third level of the Golden Core realm and develop inner vision to reduce future uncertainties."

At this moment, Chen Heng casually stepped out of his confidant's house, waved his hand to collect several guardian formation diagrams he had captured, and then a wisp of smoke rose from beneath his feet, soaring into the sky.

Looking out, the clear streams rush and the mountains stand tall and majestic; the scenery remains magnificent.

Upon seeing the figure in the clouds, the mountain spirits and water monsters guarding the area knew that Chen Heng had emerged from seclusion, and they cheered and rushed forward one after another to congratulate him.

Chen Heng smiled slightly and instructed the Five Qi Universe Ring to take some magic money from his person, which he then distributed.

After the little spirits received their rewards and happily bowed to take their leave, he simply sat cross-legged on the cloud, closed his eyes slightly, and sorted out all the gains he had made in this grotto over the past thirty years.

It wasn't until three days later that they finally opened their eyes again.

He withdrew his power and, with a flick of his sleeves, dispelled the swirling mist above his head.

"How is it?" asked the Transcendent Shuttle beside him.

"The rumors are true. The cultivation of inner vision at the third level of the Golden Core stage is indeed difficult to perform here. It is like trying to see the sun through fog. The divine light is dim and the image is hard to find in the hazy state."

Chen Heng shook his head and replied.

Over the past three days, he has not only been reviewing all his knowledge, but has also tried to cultivate his inner vision several times.

But no matter how hard he tried to figure it out, there was always a slight strangeness in his mind, something that had never happened before when he was cultivating in the cave.

Only after trying it myself did I realize that what the book said was indeed true. The Dao of the cave master was ultimately not the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth; there was still a layer between the two.

After such calculations, although there is the advantage of time in the grotto-heaven, in terms of actual cultivation, it is actually less efficient than being in the real world.

The ultimate truth is profound and mysterious, its wondrous transformations are boundless; indeed, its reputation is well-deserved.

Seeing Chen Heng speak like this, the Space Shuttle wasn't surprised. He coughed twice, smiled, and waved his hand, saying:
"This is a principle that countless high-ranking Taoist priests have discovered throughout history. How could there be any exceptions? But now that you have succeeded, what are your plans afterward? Do you still wish to remain in the Void Emperor Heaven?"

Upon hearing this, even the Five Qi Universe Ring, which had been sitting idly to the side, perked up its ears and moved closer.

After Chen Heng left Xiaoming Great Swamp, he first fought Cui Ju, defeated Lu Shen, and reclaimed the lost territory of Ge Lu. Then he traveled all the way to Xuhuang Heaven to practice True Water, during which time he also witnessed a lot of Chen family affairs.

Although there are many things to say, in reality, there are still more than fifty years between the Dan Yuan Conference in Xudu Heaven.

This was because obtaining the combined training method went unexpectedly smoothly, without any setbacks.

Moreover, thanks to the assistance of this supreme immortal grotto-heaven before them, their cultivation of the "Nine Gradual Returns" was not delayed in any way.

"Fifty years..."

Chen Heng pondered to himself that although practicing internal cultivation and cultivating Taiyi Divine Thunder were not things that could be accomplished in a day, fifty years was still a considerable amount of time, and it was not impossible to give it a try.

And what the Escape Shuttle said was true. Now that everything is over, there is no point in leaving the Void Emperor Heaven here any longer.

Not to mention that there was also Brother Chen Xiangxian ahead of us.

In fact, Chen Heng had always been aware of the true nature of the Heavenly Cauldron and the so-called Grandson.

His foundation was ultimately in Xudu, in Yuchen of Dongmizhou, not in this divine heaven before him.

Though the journey may be pleasant, it is better to return home early.

"In that case, it is time to bid farewell to the God King, the wise monk, and other elders. "After bidding farewell to the God King, I intend to go to Hongjingtian to retrieve the favor that Daoist Kongkong mentioned to Yu Chen, which is also a favor I owe him. I have already discussed this matter with my master beforehand, and my master has already given his approval."

After receiving that favor, he would likely travel throughout the universe, contemplating the workings of heaven and earth, hoping to achieve his wish before the Dan Yuan Assembly.

Chen Heng pondered for a moment before replying.

……

……

Back when he was cultivating in the cave, Chen Heng had already spoken with Tong Xuan through the Mixed Gold Thunder Pearl in his hand, which naturally included the so-called human relationships mentioned by the Empty Daoist.

Tong Xuan did not object to this matter; on the contrary, he mentioned that he had asked Chen Yu to help him refine the Thunder Root Sect and a few interesting anecdotes.

Between Tong Xuan's words, the sighs of Taotie Zhouji and the old ape could be heard from time to time, and it was unknown where the two were now.

Judging from the noise, it sounded like two old donkeys pulling a millstone, chewing beans dry while turning in circles, seemingly suffering terribly.

"Daoist Tongxuan? I see. This patriarch had a backup plan when Daoist Kongkong came looking for you. Now that he has spoken, it seems that your journey to Hongjingtian should be without any problems."

Upon hearing this, Dunjie Shuo nodded in understanding.

The Five Qi Universe Circle, which had been observing for a long time, suddenly spoke up:

"Master, thirty years have passed since you entered the grotto-heaven. Have you decided what request you want to make to that god-king?"

This matter is of great importance, and all the spirits couldn't help but turn their gazes towards it.

Chen Heng merely smiled slightly upon seeing this, paused briefly on the escape shuttle, and said:
"I already knew about this, and you will find out soon enough."

"Later?"

The Five Elements Universe Circle is filled with doubt.

But Chen Heng had already turned his gaze away and was no longer looking at him.

He looked ahead and saw a misty, ethereal landscape of water and mountains, a scene of pristine beauty that seemed timeless, far removed from the turbid world.

The clear sky was filled with bright light, as if it could illuminate one's very soul.

His robes swayed gently in the wind, his eyes flashed, and a strange realization suddenly rose in his mind.

"Time flies like an arrow; metal and stone may be destroyed, but a loyal heart will never be eroded!"

After standing there with his eyes closed for a while, Chen Heng suddenly burst into laughter.

Without hesitation, he reached out and swept away the smoke and mist in front of him. At the same time, a large pillar of crimson light descended from the sky, illuminating the mountains and instantly enveloping his figure.

When the surrounding light faded, he had arrived in front of the Zhuling Palace. Several palace servants quickly led him inside.

It was the same library as before, but this time, Chen Yu was there, along with the Zhihun monk holding a stack of files and looking helpless.

"It seems you've made up your mind?" Chen Yu said calmly from the main seat.

Upon hearing this, the monk Zhihun's eyes flickered with interest.

After bowing and expressing his gratitude, and then taking his leave of the two, Chen Heng smiled and said frankly:
"I have already made up my mind. I want to ask for a longevity-promoting spiritual item for Elder Suo."

Because the origins of spirits and flesh-and-blood beings are different, ordinary methods of prolonging life are difficult to apply to spirits.

Items that can prolong the life of a spirit are extremely rare even in the Xudu Heaven. Even with Chen Heng's current status, it would be difficult for him to purchase such treasures from elsewhere at a high price; they are often priceless and unavailable.

"Not for himself, but for that artifact spirit?"

Upon hearing this, the monk Zhihun's expression turned slightly amused.

With his keen eyesight, he could naturally discern the origins and details of the Escape Shuttle, knowing that this artifact spirit had once belonged to Bai Sanren, had been lost and wandered to Xudu Heaven, and was later obtained by Chen Heng.

This Shuttle Spirit has existed for a very long time; even among immortal magical artifacts, it can be considered an ancient relic, and its lifespan is clearly nearing its end.

But with such a great opportunity before him, this person didn't seek personal gain, but instead took care of the spirit beside him.

The monk Zhihun smiled inwardly, when Chen Yu suddenly said:

"Then?"

Chen Heng was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

He remained inexplicably silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled, took two steps back, bowed deeply, and looked solemn.

“Since the God-King has spoken, I shall not refuse. I once owed a favor to an old friend. The Breath Concealment Technique she gave me has saved my life many times. Today, I will shamelessly take advantage of this opportunity.”

Chen Heng smiled nonchalantly, raised his head, and said slowly:

"I humbly request that the God-King reclaim the Wind and Fire Futon lent to the Siyewei Clan. I would be eternally grateful!"

After the sentence was spoken, the room fell silent for a moment.

As Chen Yu listened to the clear, resonant sound echoing through the library, he felt a strange sense of déjà vu. Thousands of years ago, a person had stood here looking at him, with eyes as bright as stars and a smile on their face.

Both achieved early success and were full of youthful vigor.

At that time, in order to congratulate him on completing the Heavenly Mandate True Talisman, I agreed to several conditions for him. Apart from asking for a guardian deity for myself in the end, the rest of the conditions were all for various retainers and subordinates.

In the blink of an eye, countless years have passed and the world has changed.

The past is gone and can never be retrieved.

The pavilion was silent for a long time. After what seemed like an eternity, Chen Heng felt a gaze fall upon him, its meaning profound.

"As you say."

Chen Yu remained calm and said, "Agreed."

Upon hearing this, Chen Heng quickly bowed and thanked him. Chen Yu shook his head, and then another palace servant led Chen Heng out.

After sitting silently for a while, Chen Yu suddenly turned and went into the inner room of the study, with the monk Zhihun following behind him, carrying a stack of files.

"Monk, do you think this person will be his calamity?"

In the dim candlelight, amidst rows of black-clad eunuchs welcoming him, Chen Yu suddenly spoke.

Before the monk Zhihun could concentrate and give an answer, Chen Yu waved his hand, interrupting the monk who was already choking on his words.

He smiled inexplicably and said:
"That's all."

……

……

Six months later, Hong Jingtian.

The sky was blood-red, and the earth was entirely black and yellow.

The towering mountains, jagged and menacing, stretched out for thousands of miles. In the middle of winter, with fallen leaves, withered grass, and a biting wind, the landscape was even more gloomy and desolate, making one's heart tremble.

Suddenly, a sword light tore through the clouds, and as the sword light receded, Chen Heng's figure quickly appeared.

(End of this chapter)