I was a mineral prospector in Chengdu, who transmigrated into the body of a mortal sword immortal.

The milky-white cocoon of spiritual energy grew thicker and thicker, its swirling vortex drawing in the chaotic clouds further above the platform, emitting a low, howling sound. Li Bai, who had been standing with his eyes closed, finally sat down cross-legged when the spiritual energy reached a critical point. His hands naturally formed a mudra, resting on his knees—the core mudra for condensing the Golden Core recorded in the *Red Dust Sword Manual*. He no longer passively absorbed the energy but actively guided it. Within his dantian, the green lotus's rotation suddenly accelerated, its heart-shaped sword shadow resonating, unleashing a powerful suction force. The vast spiritual energy gathering around him, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, surged into his body with a more ferocious and orderly force. The bronze platform trembled slightly, as if responding to the immense power of this prelude to a leap in life level. Li Bai's clothes moved without wind, his hair flew, and his aura began to rise at an astonishing speed, launching a final, resolute assault towards an invisible and solid boundary.

At the very moment he sat cross-legged and began to fully circulate his energy—

Above the secret realm, the chaotic energy layer that had been like a solidified gray eggshell, enveloping the entire divine tree area, began to churn violently without warning!

At first, only ripples appeared at the edges, like the surface of a lake tossed with a pebble. But soon, the ripples turned into surging waves, and the entire chaotic energy surged, swirled, and collided violently like boiling water. From the depths of the gray clouds, a muffled thunder, seemingly from the ancient primordial era, faintly echoed. The sound was not loud, but it carried a heavy pressure that reached the very depths of the soul, causing the entire secret realm to tremble slightly.

The spiritual energy around the bronze divine tree, which was originally drawn by Li Bai's breakthrough aura, suddenly became violent, as if summoned by some grander and more irresistible law!

"boom--!"

An invisible explosion resounded across the energy plane.

Centered on Li Bai, a colossal, visible vortex of spiritual energy, exceeding ten zhang in diameter, instantly formed! The vortex was no longer a gentle, milky white, but rather a nearly liquid, viscous, pale blue spiritual light, spinning wildly and drawing in spiritual energy from all directions, even forcibly extracted from the depths of the secret realm, like a whale swallowing its prey. The edge of the vortex connected with the chaotic energy layer above, stirring the gray sea of ​​clouds even more violently, and the muffled thunder grew increasingly dense and closer.

The lotus fragrance permeating the air was now mixed with a rich, premonition of thunder, carrying a faint scent of metallic rust and scorched earth. A subtle tingling sensation from the free-floating electrical charges in the air made the skin tingle, and the hairs on the skin involuntarily stood on end. The tremors emanating from the bronze platform became more pronounced, and a continuous, low-frequency hum emanated from beneath one's feet.

Li Bai seemed oblivious to this.

His entire mind was focused on his body, on the dantian that was undergoing tremendous changes.

The teachings of the Golden Core chapter of the "Red Dust Sword Manual" flowed through his mind, every word crystal clear, perfectly matching his current state. Within his dantian, the azure lotus flower formed by the fusion of the Azure Lotus Sword and the lotus phantom was no longer slowly rotating, but had transformed into a vortex of azure light and shadow, spinning at high speed and emitting a "whooshing" sound as it cut through the air—although this sound only existed in his internal perception.

The massive influx of refined spiritual energy, after initial purification, was mercilessly devoured, torn apart, and refined by the cyan lotus vortex. Impurities were flung out, turning into a faint gray mist that was expelled from the pores of the body; the most essential part was forcibly compressed and converged towards the small, trembling phantom sword at the center of the lotus, which emitted an excited sword cry.

The illusory sword accepted all incoming energy like a bottomless pit. Its form began to subtly change; the sword became more solid, the patterns on its surface became clearer, and it emanated an increasingly intense sharpness. But this was not enough. Condensing the Golden Core requires not only the accumulation of energy, but also the condensation of the "Dao"—the cultivator's own understanding of the Great Dao, their perception of life, and the refinement and sublimation of all past experiences.

Li Bai's soul naturally immersed itself in the ultimate understanding of "the way of the sword in the mortal world".

The first thing that comes to mind is "love tribulation".

The deep sorrow and helplessness hidden in Yang Xiaohuan's eyes, the icy touch and burning pain of the dagger piercing her chest, the resentment and obsession as her soul was torn apart… these painful memories belonging to the modern geological engineer Li Bai perfectly overlapped with the momentary flutter of his heart and the sudden realization when he first met Yang Yuhuan in Chengdu during the Tang Dynasty, and the piercing pain and struggle he felt upon her entering the palace, knowing the historical outcome yet powerless to change it. Two deep affections and regrets spanning a thousand years, two equally unforgettable yet vastly different obsessions of protection, merged and were tempered at this moment. The tribulation of love was not to sever it, but to clarify the heart. He saw clearly the unwavering, timeless, and undying desire to protect deep within his soul, a desire so pure and so tenacious that it became the core of his Golden Elixir: the "foundation of love."

Next comes the "Power Robbery".

In the modern city, the unbridled violence and financial power of the Liu Han clique intertwine with the ruthless power struggles of Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong in the Tang Dynasty court, and the supreme and inviolable imperial power of Emperor Xuanzong, creating a series of suffocating scenes. He was once as insignificant as a blade of grass, easily crushed by power; he also attempted to challenge and maneuver with his poetic talent and swordsmanship. He witnessed the corruption of power and deeply understood the necessity of order. The tribulations of power are not about submission or subversion, but about discernment. He understood the relationship between power and responsibility, grasped the wisdom of finding a way out within the existing framework, and strengthened his resolve to use his sword to strike at true injustice and evil. This clear understanding transformed into the steady and unwavering "foundation of reason" within his golden elixir.

Finally, there is the "calamity of all living beings".

His perspective as a geological engineer allowed him to witness the rise and fall of civilizations through millions of years of crustal changes; his poetic magnanimity enabled him to feel the sorrow of "the rich feasting while the poor freeze to death on the streets"; and his swordsmanship granted him the ability to alter local realities. The anticipated human tragedy of the An Lushan Rebellion, the suffering of ordinary people in modern cities eroded by evil, the silent majority… the calamities facing humanity were not to be ignored or borne, but to be held accountable. He found the boundaries and direction of his power—not for kingship or vengeance, not for personal vendettas, but to protect what he could protect, to change what he could change, and within his capabilities, to bring less regret and more light to this world. This limited yet unwavering sense of responsibility transformed into the warm and expansive "foundation of benevolence" within his golden elixir.

Modern scientific rationality and ancient metaphysical insights, the macroscopic spacetime perspective of geology and the microscopic energy perspective of cultivators—two completely different cognitive systems—did not conflict. Instead, under his spiritual harmonization, they began to complement and merge. Science provides a perspective for understanding the fundamental laws of the world, while cultivation offers a method for intervening in energy and life forms. They both point to a more fundamental "Tao"—the exploration and application of the laws governing the interaction of the universe, life, energy, and information. This unique fusion of cognition, transcending the barriers of civilization, made his "Tao foundation" far surpass that of ordinary cultivators, becoming exceptionally broad and profound.

All these insights—pure emotion, clear reason, sense of responsibility, and integration of cognition—transformed into invisible "catalysts" and "foundations," converging with the massive amount of spiritual energy that the Azure Lotus had frantically compressed and refined, all of which converged toward the Lotus Heart Sword.

The process went surprisingly smoothly.

There is no stagnation, no bottleneck, and no inner demons interfering.

It was as if all of this was meant to be, a natural progression.

His Dao heart, tempered by the physical trials of climbing the divine tree, tested by the spiritual inquisition of illusions, enlightened by the wisdom of receiving the complete inheritance, and elevated to a state of perfect unity with the Azure Lotus and the sword, had long been refined and polished to a crystal-clear, indestructible state. The condensation of the Golden Core at this moment was merely a complete anchoring and manifestation of this already perfected Dao heart in the material realm, in the form of energy.

Within his dantian, a turbulent storm was brewing.

The lotus's rotation reached its maximum speed, almost transforming into a ball of azure light. At the lotus's heart, the illusory image of the small sword had been compressed to its limit, its light restrained, yet its form incredibly stable. It was no longer merely an illusion, but began to exhibit a pale golden, semi-materialized luster.

"Buzz—!"

A clear, resonant sound, seemingly emanating from the very source of the Great Dao, rang out from the deepest part of Li Bai's dantian.

The lotus flower suddenly stopped spinning.

No, it didn't stop, but rather it transitioned from extreme motion to a mysterious, slow, and stable rotation, like the movement of stars.

At the heart of the lotus, the pale golden light suddenly contracted, and then—

It blooms quietly.

A perfectly round pill, the size of a longan, floated quietly in the very center of the blue lotus.

The pill was a warm, pale gold color. Its surface was not smooth, but rather naturally imprinted with extremely fine and mysterious patterns. Upon closer inspection, those patterns were actually a miniature, budding blue lotus flower. At the heart of the lotus, there was an almost imperceptible, straight, sharp sword-shaped shadow that moved slowly, as if it were alive.

The pale golden pill slowly rotated, each rotation emanating a boundless life force and an incomparably sharp sword intent. The life force, warm and vibrant, nourished Li Bai's limbs, internal organs, and even penetrated his very soul, giving him a transformative sense of comfort and power. All the hidden injuries and fatigue from his previous climbs and battles were completely cleansed and repaired in this moment. The sword intent, refined and pure, was perfectly aligned with his mind. With the slightest thought, a chilling sharpness emanated from his body, as if he himself had become a peerless sword drawn from its sheath.

Azure Lotus Sword Pill!

A unique natal golden core formed by combining insights from two lifetimes and the foundation of the mortal world, based on the Azure Lotus and the Sword Heart.

The moment the golden elixir was formed, Li Bai's aura underwent a qualitative leap.

The previously powerful but somewhat unstable spiritual energy fluctuations instantly became solid, profound, and restrained. A harmonious, unhindered, and inexhaustible aura emanated from him. A faint, jade-like, warm luster appeared on his skin, and although his eyes were still closed, golden light seemed to flow beneath his eyelids. His breathing became long and deep, and with each inhale and exhale, he seemed to resonate with the entire secret realm, the bronze divine tree beneath his feet, and even the rolling chaotic lightning above.

He has officially entered the Golden Core stage!

His life level underwent its first fundamental leap, his lifespan increased dramatically, his spiritual power underwent a qualitative change, and his ability to perceive and control the energy of heaven and earth leaped to a new level. More importantly, his "Dao" had a solid material foundation, and the direction of his future cultivation path was clearer than ever before.

However, just as this unique Azure Lotus Sword Core was completely stabilized and emitted its first wave of perfect Daoist aura—

"BOOM!!!"

A deafening roar, a hundred times more terrifying than all the previous thunderclaps combined, suddenly exploded in the sky above the secret realm!

The sound was like the sky cracking open, or the roar of a giant beast, carrying a violent will to destroy everything. It shook the entire bronze divine tree violently, and with a "crack," several tiny cracks appeared on the platform! The dense spiritual energy in the air was instantly dissipated by most of it, replaced by a pure and terrifying power of heaven and earth that made one's soul tremble!

Li Bai suddenly opened his eyes.

A golden glint flashed in his eyes, and the terrifying scene above was reflected deep within his pupils.

The churning, boiling gray chaotic energy layer had been forcibly torn open by an invisible force, creating a huge, irregular crack! Deep within the crack was not the scene outside the secret realm, but an even deeper and more violent darkness, where countless electric snakes darted and converged wildly.

These electric snakes were not the usual silvery-white lightning.

Their cores were a dazzling bright white, but their outer edges were wrapped in strands and streaks of ancient bronze-colored lightning! The bronze-colored lightning carried a rich ancient aura, originating from the same source as the bronze divine tree and this secret realm itself, but it was more violent and full of the meaning of judgment and test.

Within the crack, lightning had already coalesced into a cluster.

The next moment, a terrifying bolt of lightning, as thick as a bucket, with a bright white core and an outer layer wrapped in dense bronze-colored electric snakes, emerged from the depths of the crack like an angry ancient thunder dragon. It tore apart all the chaotic energy along its path, and with a deafening roar and a destructive aura, it slammed down towards Li Bai, who had just formed his golden core, in the center of the divine tree platform!

Before the thunder even arrived, the oppressive force that locked onto the soul had already descended.

The air around Li Bai seemed to solidify, and a pricking sensation, like needles, pierced his skin—a sign of intensely concentrated free electrical charges. His hair stood on end, and his clothes clung to his body, fluttering loudly. The tremors emanating from the bronze platform beneath his feet reached their peak, a sharp, piercing hum emanating from it. He could even smell a faint odor, a mixture of ozone and the acrid smell of burning metal.

The real test—the Golden Core Tribulation—begins in this mysterious and unpredictable secret realm of the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom, in a strange form mixed with ancient bronze lightning!

The first bolt of tribulation lightning has already reached your head!