Cultivation of Immortality: Start by Improving Spiritual Root Qualifications

Chapter 987 The Core of the Realm, the Immortal Abode Becomes Real!
Looking up, I found myself in a gray space, surrounded by a hazy grayness.

Before us stood a towering mountain, stretching as far as the eye could see.
It was that True Immortal-level Soul-Eating Beast.

Its fur is a deathly dark gray, each hair as thick as an ancient tree, and its body is covered with scales comparable to mountains.

Its length exceeds 150,000 zhang.

It exuded an extremely powerful aura, making him feel terrified.

"A mere corpse possesses such power; one can only imagine how magnificent he must have been when he was alive!"

Xiaoqing couldn't help but quiet down after that.

In its bright eyes, there was a hint of awe from the depths of its blood and an indescribable longing.

"Master," Xiaoqing said with a touch of emotion.
"How powerful must that Devouring Primordial Ancestor have been back then? To have created such a vast world... I really don't know when I will be able to reach such a level."

Zhou Xun gently patted its head, his tone firm:

"The path to enlightenment is boundless; diligence is the only way. Once you have a goal, just keep going step by step."

He composed himself and scanned the space with sharp eyes, especially the remains of the colossal beast that resembled a mountain range.

"Xiao Qing, sense carefully and find the core of this space, or... see if there are any special materials within these remains that can support a great world!"

"Yes, Master!"

Xiaoqing perked up and jumped off Zhou Xun's shoulder.

It closed its eyes, and a faint gray halo emanated from its body. That was its unique innate perception as a soul-devouring beast, making it exceptionally sensitive to space and forces of the same origin.

A moment later, Xiaoqing seemed to have locked onto the direction, and then her figure transformed into a blurry golden streak of light.

It went straight toward the head of the giant beast and burrowed into its deep, cave-like nostrils!
Zhou Xun was not surprised by this.

These remains of a true immortal appear to be physical, but their internal structure is beyond imagination, and must contain unique spatial mysteries.

Xiaoqing went to search for possible core materials, and Zhou Xun himself was not idle either.

He hovered in mid-air, his powerful divine sense spreading outwards like a tide, carefully exploring every inch of this space and every breath of life.

About two hours later,

Zhou Xun received Xiao Qing's urgent message:

"Master! I've found it! I've found something... something that feels incredibly special! The spatial power within it is terrifyingly vast, and... it seems to have a subtle connection to our human realm!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xun's eyes flashed with a sharp light: "Where?"

"Very deep inside the remains!"

Without further hesitation, Zhou Xun transformed into a beam of light and, like Xiao Qing, flew into the enormous nostril.

Upon entering the remains, the scene changed abruptly!
It appears to be a solid entity from the outside, but the interior is not the bones and flesh one might imagine; instead, it is a boundless, hazy, chaotic void!
This place seems to be a world unto itself, employing an extremely sophisticated technique of containing Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed, making the space infinitely larger than it appears from the outside!
Following his connection with Xiaoqing's soul, Zhou Xun flew rapidly through the gray chaos.

He was surrounded by flowing chaotic air currents, and occasionally he could see some solidified energy crystals that shimmered with strange light, but none of them aroused his interest.

His goal was clear: to find Xiaoqing.

After flying for a full half hour, Zhou Xun, at his speed, had traversed countless miles before Xiao Qing finally appeared ahead.

Xiaoqing was standing on a relatively stable "ground" formed by gray energy.

In front of it, a strange crystal about the height of a person floated!

The crystal was entirely composed of dreamlike, seven-colored hues, and was crystal clear.
Inside, it seemed as if countless nebulae were being created and destroyed, and countless worlds were evolving.

On the surface of the crystal, the spatial force, so intensely concentrated, almost materialized.
Furthermore, it contains a power that Zhou Xun could not comprehend, a power akin to the very origin of the world!
Just one glance made Zhou Xun feel incredibly small, as if he were facing the entire world!

"Master, that's it!" Xiaoqing excitedly transmitted her thoughts.
“I sense that this is the core of the human realm! We call it the ‘World Core Crystal’!”

"This is the external core formed by the primordial laws and spatial power of our Soul-Eating Beast when it opened its inner world!"

It continues:

"If Master can refine this 'World Core Crystal,' Master can return to the human realm at any time!"

Zhou Xun was overjoyed upon hearing this!
This was indeed the key item he had been searching for!

Refining this item is equivalent to obtaining the "key" to the human realm, and it may even be the core of the future "Refining the Realm into a Palace" plan!

But soon, a sense of powerlessness welled up in my heart.

The energy level emitted by this "World Core Crystal" was too high, far exceeding his understanding at the Nascent Soul stage.

With his current cultivation level, let alone refining it, even observing it for a long time would cause him to feel a stinging pain in his soul, like an ant trying to shake a mountain.

Seeing Zhou Xun's furrowed brows and troubled expression, Xiao Qing seemed to understand his concerns and quickly said:
"Master, don't worry! Our Soul-Eating Beast clan has a secret method passed down through generations for refining spatial cores of the same origin!"

"This secret technique allows you to establish a connection with the crystal core in a relatively gentle way and refine it gradually, without having to forcefully resist its enormous power."

"Oh? There's such a secret technique?" Zhou Xun's spirits lifted.
"Teach it to me quickly!"

"Yes, Master!"

Xiaoqing dared not delay and immediately connected through her soul.

A complex and ancient incantation and information flow were transmitted into Zhou Xun's sea of ​​consciousness.

Zhou Xun immediately sat cross-legged on the gray "ground," clearing his mind of all distractions.
He devoted himself to comprehending this secret technique called "Merging Realms Technique".

This secret technique is indeed extremely profound, involving a great deal of deep principles about the nature of space, bloodline resonance, and the pull of laws.

Even with Zhou Xun's remarkable comprehension and the presence of two different realms of understanding, he still found it obscure and difficult to comprehend.

He was so engrossed in it that he forgot the passage of time.

He devoted himself entirely to studying the "Merging Realm Technique".

Half a month later,

Zhou Xun opened his eyes.
"I've finally learned it! It truly is profound and extensive!"

"It's time to start."

Zhou Xun held his breath and concentrated, following the method of the "Merging Realms Technique," sending an extremely subtle wisp of divine consciousness...

Mixed with the faint gray aura of the Soul-Eating Beast's essence, it slowly reached out towards the "World Core Crystal" that exuded immense pressure, like the gentlest of tentacles.

The moment the divine sense touched the surface of the crystal core, a vast, ancient will, imbued with an instinctive sense of repulsion, surged forth like a tidal wave.
It seemed to be resisting any outsider's prying and touching.

Zhou Xun's consciousness was as insignificant as a candle flame in a storm before this will, threatening to be extinguished at any moment. However, just as this repulsive force was about to repel Zhou Xun's consciousness, the wisp of Xiao Qing's soul-devouring beast essence played a crucial role!
Like a drop of water merging into the ocean, the pale gray aura resonated wonderfully with the power of the crystal core itself.

The intense feeling of rejection suddenly diminished, replaced by a sense of warmth and acceptance.

Zhou Xun was certain that he had succeeded in the most crucial first step.

He dared not relax for a moment, controlling that wisp of divine consciousness, following the guidance of this "sense of familiarity," carefully and extremely slowly penetrating into the interior of the crystal core.

This process was incredibly difficult; the internal structure of the crystal core was far more complex than anyone could imagine, as if it were composed of countless layers of folded and twisted spaces and laws.

Zhou Xun's consciousness traversed the maze, like a blind man feeling an elephant, or like an ant climbing a labyrinth.
Every step must be taken with utmost care, lest one trigger some unknown restriction or cause the crystal core to instinctively react.

After an unknown amount of time, his divine sense finally broke through the outermost barrier and "saw" the vast scene inside the crystal core.
It was a microcosm of an extremely deep and boundless void!

In the center of this void, two enormous spheres float side by side.

A vibrant world, displaying the colorful landscapes of mountains, rivers, oceans, and land, radiating vitality, is the human realm he knows well!
The other was dark and deep, filled with eerie atmosphere; it was undoubtedly the realm of ghosts!
Around these two large world spheres, there are also some much smaller spheres or fragments, much dimmer in light, slowly rotating like satellites.

Zhou Xun instantly realized that these must be the various secret realms and grotto-heavens that exist in relation to the main world, such as the Thunder Prison and the Heavenly Origin Secret Realm that he had visited before.

That's all!

"Just as I thought! This Realm Core Crystal is the central hub connecting and controlling the Human Realm, the Ghost Realm, and many other subordinate spaces!"

Zhou Xun was deeply shocked.

He seemed to be standing from God's perspective, looking down at this miniature universe created by the True Immortal Soul-Eating Beast.

He was immersed in this wondrous sensation and began to imprint his divine consciousness onto the world according to the methods of the "Merging Realms Technique," weaving it like a spider web.
It is imprinted little by little inside the crystal core.

This is a slow and meticulous process that requires a great deal of patience and time.

In this state, Zhou Xun seemed to have fallen into a kind of enlightenment.
Completely forgetting the passage of time, their minds were completely merged with the core of the boundary crystal.

Time passes little by little,

A year later, his perception of the crystal nucleus became clearer.

Two years later, he was able to vaguely sense the spiritual energy fluctuations of the Forgotten Lake in the human realm.

In five years, the range of his divine imprint has expanded considerably once again.

Then came ten years... fifteen years...

Spring goes and autumn comes, and the seasons change.

In this silent, chaotic space, Zhou Xun was like an old monk in deep meditation.

Xiaoqing remained faithfully by his side, occasionally waking up to check on Zhou Xun's condition before continuing to lie there and pretend to sleep.

It could also sense that the connection between its master and the crystal core was deepening day by day.

Finally, in the thirtieth year.

On this day, Zhou Xun, who was sitting as still as a statue, suddenly had his aura resonate perfectly with the Boundary Core Crystal in front of him!
He slowly opened his eyes, which had been closed for thirty years.

Looking at the crystal core in front of him,
He felt a sense of familiarity.

"Finally, the refining was successful!"

A slight smile of satisfaction appeared on his lips. He reached out and gently beckoned to the life-sized crystal core.

"Come."

With a whoosh, the Boundary Core rapidly shrank to the size of a fist and fell into the palm of the hand.

"Congratulations, Master! You have successfully refined the World Core Crystal!" Little Qing, who had already woken up, excitedly offered her congratulations.

Zhou Xun looked at the crystal core in his hand, his heart filled with countless emotions:

"If it weren't for your secret techniques and primordial energy, I would never have been able to refine this item. This is all thanks to you!"

Looking at the crystal core in his hand, Zhou Xun's thoughts stirred slightly.

The next moment, the surrounding scenery changed, and he was no longer in a gray, chaotic space.

Instead, he stood atop a desolate mountain in the Great Jin Kingdom!
A gentle breeze caresses the face, birds sing and flowers bloom—this is the scene of the human world!
With another thought, his vision blurred, and he found himself once again standing on the bustling main street of Jin Yuan Immortal City, teeming with carriages, people, and cultivators.

The surrounding noise of people, the cries of spirit beasts, and the shouts of shop assistants instantly flooded into his ears, forming a stark contrast to the previous deathly silent and chaotic space.

Zhou Xun's thoughts stirred again, and his figure vanished silently from the spot without causing any spatial fluctuations.
The next moment, he appeared in a quiet room in a cave filled with spiritual energy.

The cave was surrounded by an exquisite fourth-grade high-level protective array, but it was completely ineffective at the moment, and the intruder was not detected at all.

"Just as I expected!" Zhou Xun's face showed a satisfied smile.

"Having refined the World Core Crystal, the entire human realm is now virtually defenseless for me. I can reach any corner of it instantly, wherever my thoughts lead!"

Then, with a slight thought, he returned to the chaotic space within the body of the True Immortal's remains and stood before Xiao Qing.

"Sure enough, coming and going is also at my command!" Zhou Xun was overjoyed.

This is equivalent to him having a "super teleportation array" that can instantly return him to the human world, without consuming any energy, all in the blink of an eye!
He then began testing his other abilities.

His divine sense sank into the crystal core, locking onto a deserted island about three miles in diameter, located overseas from the human realm.

"rise!"

Driven by his thoughts, the crystal core glowed slightly.

The desolate island, thousands of miles away, along with the reef base beneath it, vanished into thin air!

Within this chaotic space, in a corresponding area, the space rippled slightly, and a desolate island about three miles in size suddenly appeared!
The island's trees, rocks, and even the nest of seabirds that inhabit them all appear here.
Sensing the changes in their surroundings, the nest of seabirds became completely bewildered.
Upon seeing this, Zhou Xun burst into laughter.
With a thought, the island returned to the human realm, only now it was located in the sea tens of millions of miles away!
"Success!" Zhou Xun's eyes gleamed.

But he didn't stop there; he set his sights on another, larger island, about four miles in diameter.

"Come again!"

This time, the crystal core shone brightly, but Zhou Xun felt a distinct sense of stagnation, and his spiritual energy consumption increased dramatically.

The distant islands trembled violently, as if they were about to be uprooted, but ultimately failed to move and slowly returned to calm.

Zhou Xun was slightly out of breath, but his face showed no disappointment; instead, it revealed a look of understanding:
"It seems that with my current cultivation level and spiritual strength, transferring an object three miles in size at once is the limit."

"We are still far from being able to change the world with a single thought, or to move continents or even the entire world."

However, he quickly laughed again:
"But that's enough! At least, transferring some cultivators between the mortal realm and the immortal realm is a piece of cake!"

(End of this chapter)