From the fake emperor to the concubine

"What else? Tell me in detail!" Zheng Yi said coldly.

"They've already secretly contacted forces like the Blazing Fire Sect and the Water Cloud Sect, preparing to launch an attack on the Zheng family at the opportune moment!" Xue Tianxie hurriedly said. "Our Blood Demon Sect is merely their vanguard, used to test your strength!"

"I see," Zheng Yi said, suddenly realizing. "No wonder you dared to ambush me here; it turns out you had someone backing you up."

"Yes! Killing me won't do you any good, the Heavenly Dao Sect will not let you off!" Xue Tianxie threatened.

"Is that so?" Zheng Yi sneered. "Then I can't let you stay."

"The Righteous Yang Sword Technique - One Strike to the Throat!"

A thin, thread-like sword aura shot out and accurately struck Xue Tianxie's throat.

Xue Tianxie's eyes widened, as if he wanted to say something, but he could no longer make a sound.

A few breaths later, the elder of the Blood Demon Sect died.

"Master, what should we do next?" Zhang Yunfan walked to his master's side, his expression somewhat solemn.

If the Heavenly Dao Sect really intends to deal with the Zheng family, then the situation will be quite serious. The Heavenly Dao Sect is not a heretical cultivation force like the Blood Demon Sect; they are extremely powerful and have a great influence in the cultivation world.

"We'll meet force with force, and water with earth," Zheng Yi said calmly. "Since they want to deal with us, let's see who's stronger!"

With the support of the Immortal Essence Pearl, Zheng Yi had full confidence in his strength. Even the Heavenly Dao Sect was not invincible.

“Master is right,” Zhang Yunfan nodded. “Our Zheng family is not to be trifled with.”

"The most important thing now is to return to the clan as soon as possible and tell the patriarch and the others the news," Zheng Yi said, "so that the clan can make preparations in advance."

"Furthermore, I need to refine the Immortal Essence Pearl as soon as possible to raise my strength to its highest level."

The master and apprentice cleaned up the battlefield, collected the valuable items, and then embarked on their journey back to their family.

This battle allowed Zheng Yi to once again demonstrate his terrifying strength. It is believed that once the news spreads, those forces that wanted to deal with the Zheng family will reconsider their plans.

But Zheng Yi knew that the real test was yet to come.

A super power like the Heavenly Dao Sect would never give up because of one defeat. They would definitely formulate a more meticulous plan and gather even stronger forces.

However, Zheng Yi was not afraid.

With the Immortal Essence Pearl in hand, loyal disciples by his side, and a powerful family as his backing, he was confident in facing any challenge.

A storm is about to hit the cultivation world, and the Zheng family will prove their strength in this storm!

On his way back to his family, Zheng Yi pondered his next move as he flew.

First, he needs to completely refine the Immortal Essence Pearl to bring his strength to its peak.

Secondly, it is necessary to enhance the overall strength of the family and cultivate more powerful individuals.

Finally, we must find allies; we cannot leave the Zheng family to fight alone.

"Master, what are you thinking about?" Zhang Yunfan noticed his master's deep thought.

"I'm thinking about how to deal with the challenges ahead," Zheng Yi answered honestly. "This is just the beginning; the real test is yet to come."

“Master, your disciple is willing to face all difficulties with you!” Zhang Yunfan said firmly.

"Good!" Zheng Yi nodded with satisfaction. "With a disciple like you, what do I have to fear?"

The master and apprentice quickened their pace and flew towards the Zheng family's territory.

Upon returning to the Zheng family territory, Zheng Yi immediately informed Zheng Tianhao and the others about the Blood Demon Sect's ambush and the Heavenly Dao Sect's conspiracy.

The news shocked the entire Zheng family.

"The Heavenly Dao Sect wants to deal with us?" Zheng Tianhao's expression turned grave. "What do they mean by this?"

"It seems our Zheng family has grown too fast, threatening certain forces," Elder Zheng Tianhe analyzed. "The Heavenly Dao Sect wants to suppress us."

"Hmph! They think they can just suppress us like that?" Second Elder Zheng Tianlei said angrily. "Our Zheng family isn't someone to be trifled with!"

"The key now is to prepare in advance," Zheng Yi said calmly. "Since the Heavenly Dao Sect dares to plot against us, they must have something to rely on. We cannot let our guard down."

“The ancestor is right,” Zheng Tianhao nodded. “We must strengthen our defenses and find allies.”

"You can arrange these things," Zheng Yi stood up. "I need to go into seclusion for a while to fully refine the power of the Immortal Essence Pearl. Only when my strength reaches its peak can the Zheng family remain invincible in the upcoming storm."

"Ancestor, how long do you need?" Zheng Tianhao asked.

"At most a month," Zheng Yi estimated. "However, for safety's sake, I cannot go into seclusion within the family. If the Heavenly Dao Sect launches an attack while I'm in seclusion, the consequences would be unimaginable."

Where are you planning to go?

"I remember there's a cluster of volcanoes in the southwest, a place rarely visited by people, and rich in fire-attribute spiritual energy, perfect for refining Immortal Essence Pearls." Zheng Yi had already planned this.

Although the Immortal Essence Pearl contains immense energy, it is not easy to completely refine it. Extremely high temperatures are required to activate the immortal essence within, and volcanoes are the best choice.

"A volcano? Isn't that dangerous?" Zhang Yunfan asked worriedly.

“There are some dangers, but the rewards far outweigh them,” Zheng Yi explained. “The Immortal Essence Pearl requires extremely high temperatures to completely melt; ordinary alchemical fire is simply insufficient. Only by utilizing the power of volcanic fire can it be thoroughly refined.”

"Moreover," he continued, "cultivating in such an extreme environment puts a greater strain on willpower, which helps me break through my cultivation bottleneck."

"In that case, Master, you must be careful," Zhang Yunfan cautioned.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Zheng Yi patted his disciple's shoulder. "You stay in the clan to assist the patriarch and the others with their preparations. During this time, you should also cultivate diligently and strive to break through to the Golden Core stage as soon as possible."

“Yes, Master!” Zhang Yunfan replied respectfully.

After settling his family affairs, Zheng Yi embarked on his journey to the volcanic cluster alone.

The Blazing Flame Mountains to the southwest are one of the most dangerous places in the cultivation world. There are dozens of active volcanoes here, constantly spewing lava and poisonous gases. Even cultivators at the Golden Core stage dare not venture deep into them.

But for Zheng Yi now, this is the ideal place to refine the Immortal Essence Pearl.

After three days of flying, Zheng Yi finally arrived at the Blazing Flame Mountains.

In the distance, red light shot into the sky from the mountains, as countless volcanoes erupted. Fiery lava flowed down the mountaintops like waterfalls, creating a spectacular sight in the night sky.

"As expected, this is a place rich in fire-attribute spiritual energy." Zheng Yi nodded in satisfaction. "The temperature and fire-attribute energy here are exactly what's needed to refine the Immortal Essence Pearl."

Instead of choosing volcanoes that were erupting violently, he sought out a relatively stable active volcano. Although this volcano wasn't erupting violently, the magma inside was still extremely hot, radiating enough heat to meet the needs of refining. Near the crater, Zheng Yi found a natural cave. The cave extended deep into the mountain, very close to the magma layer, but without the danger of being submerged by the magma.

"This is it." Zheng Yi observed the cave environment with satisfaction.

The temperature inside the cave is extremely high; an ordinary person would be instantly charred upon entering. However, cultivators can withstand it by activating their protective techniques.

More importantly, the fire-attribute spiritual energy here is extremely rich, making it practically a natural alchemy furnace.

Zheng Yi sat cross-legged at the deepest part of the cave and took out the Immortal Essence Pearl.

Under the high temperature of the volcano, the Immortal Essence Pearl emitted an even stronger light, and the Immortal Essence contained within it seemed to be activated, beginning to flow slowly.

"Excellent, just as I expected." Zheng Yi nodded with satisfaction. "In this environment, the activity of the Immortal Essence Pearl is greatly enhanced, and the refining efficiency will be much higher."

He took a deep breath and began the formal refining process.

"The Righteous Yang Heart Method: Internal Fire Burns the Body!"

Zheng Yi circulated his cultivation technique, transforming the spiritual energy within his body into pure Yang fire. This internal fire, combined with the external volcanic heat, created a pincer attack, providing the optimal conditions for refining the Immortal Essence Pearl.

As the cultivation technique circulated, Zheng Yi's body began to emit a faint golden light. This golden light was not ordinary protective spiritual energy, but rather the pure Yang energy unique to the Zheng Yang Heart Sutra.

Surrounded by pure Yang energy, the Immortal Essence Pearl slowly floated in front of Zheng Yi and began to melt.

The initial melting was slow; only the surface of the Immortal Essence Pearl softened, while the interior remained as hard as stone. However, as time passed, the melting speed began to accelerate under the combined effect of internal and external heat.

"First stage, surface melting." Zheng Yi silently recited the refining steps in his mind.

According to ancient records, refining the Immortal Essence Pearl involves three stages: surface melting, core activation, and complete absorption. Each stage presents different requirements and challenges.

Surface melting is the simplest stage; it can be completed as long as the temperature is high enough and the time is long enough. However, core activation is much more difficult, requiring the cultivator to have an extremely high level of willpower and control over the heat.

After six hours of refining, the surface of the Immortal Essence Pearl completely melted, turning into a pale golden liquid. This liquid contained extremely pure immortal essence and emitted an alluring fragrance.

"Starting the second phase." Zheng Yi adjusted his breathing rhythm, preparing to face an even greater challenge.

Core activation requires higher temperatures and more precise control. Zheng Yi began to mobilize the subterranean fire power deep within the volcano, channeling it into the cave.

"boom!"

The subterranean fire erupted, instantly causing the temperature inside the cave to soar. An ordinary Golden Core cultivator would have been burned to ashes long ago under such temperatures.

But Zheng Yi not only withstood the high temperature, but also transformed it into the power to refine the Immortal Essence Pearl.

Under the intense burning of the subterranean fire, the core of the Immortal Essence Pearl began to change. The originally hard core began to soften, and the sealed Immortal Essence within began to awaken.

"Buzz!"

As the core was activated, the Immortal Essence Pearl suddenly burst forth with intense light. This light was as dazzling as a small sun, illuminating the entire cave as if it were daytime.

At the same time, a massive surge of energy erupted from the Immortal Essence Pearl, impacting Zheng Yi's body.

"Such powerful energy!" Zheng Yi felt the terror of this power and quickly steadied his mind, focusing all his efforts on controlling the refining process.

This energy is too great; if not properly controlled, it could break through the meridians and cause serious internal injuries.

But Zheng Yi was prepared. He activated the highest level of the Zhengyang Heart Method, expanding all the meridians in his body to their limit to provide a channel for this enormous energy.

"The True Yang Heart Method - Nine Revolutions Golden Body!"

This is the ultimate secret technique of the Zhengyang Heart Method, which can temporarily transform a cultivator's body into a pure Yang body, capable of withstanding any level of fire attribute energy.

Under the influence of the Nine Revolutions Golden Body, Zheng Yi's body became as shiny as gold, with a pale golden light flowing across his skin.

He is now like a human-shaped alchemy furnace, capable of absorbing all the energy released by the Immortal Essence Pearl.

The kernel activation process lasted a full twelve hours. During this time, Zheng Yi endured unimaginable pain.

The essence of immortal energy surged within his body, impacting every meridian and acupoint. The sensation was like countless fiery swords piercing through his body, the pain indescribable.

But Zheng Yi persevered thanks to his strong willpower.

"Phase Two Complete!" Zheng Yi breathed a sigh of relief when the core of the Immortal Essence Pearl was fully activated.

The Immortal Essence Pearl has now completely melted, turning into a pale golden liquid. This liquid emits a soft glow, and the immortal essence it contains has been fully released.

"The final stage: complete absorption." Zheng Yi took a deep breath, preparing to face the final challenge.

Complete absorption is the most crucial stage. Success will grant you the full power of the Immortal Essence Pearl, while failure will result in the loss of all your previous efforts or even demonic possession.

Zheng Yi carefully introduced the ball of immortal essence into his body and began the slow absorption process.

The moment the immortal essence entered his body, it brought him an unprecedented feeling.

This was no ordinary spiritual energy, but the essence condensed by immortals during their cultivation, containing profound mysteries that transcended the mortal realm. Every strand of immortal essence carried the immortal's insights and will, making Zheng Yi feel as if he were in a fairyland.

"Is this the power of immortals?" Zheng Yi exclaimed, marveling at this wondrous experience.

Nourished by the essence of immortal energy, his cultivation began to rise rapidly. His cultivation, originally at the peak of the Golden Core stage, actually began to advance towards the Nascent Soul stage!
"What? You're about to break through?" Zheng Yi was both surprised and delighted.

He originally thought that refining the Immortal Essence Pearl would only enhance his strength, but he never expected that it would actually help him break through the bottleneck of his cultivation realm.

The Nascent Soul stage is a high-level realm in the cultivation world. A cultivator with Nascent Soul cultivation is a powerful figure anywhere.

"Since that's the case, let's seize this opportunity to break through in one fell swoop!" Zheng Yi made up his mind.

He began to absorb the essence of immortal energy with all his might, transforming it into the driving force for breaking through his cultivation level.

"boom!"

A thunderous sound came from within his body, a sign that his golden core was about to shatter.

For a cultivator at the Golden Core stage to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, they must first shatter their Golden Core and then nurture their Nascent Soul from the ruins. This process is extremely dangerous; the slightest mistake can result in the complete loss of their cultivation.

However, with the support of the immortal essence, Zheng Yi's breakthrough process became much smoother.

"Crack!"

The golden core shattered instantly, turning into countless fragments that danced within the dantian. (End of Chapter)