When the Heavenly Axis Realm token's heat reached its peak, spatial fluctuations wrapped Xiaoqi like a tide, he knew—the ten-day realm cultivation had ended.
Light and shadow spun. After brief weightlessness, his feet stood on Heavenly Axis City inner city's solid ground. Around were familiar buildings and flowing people. The noise instantly flooded his ears, contrasting sharply with the realm's extreme tranquility.
Xiaoqi stood in place. He slightly closed his eyes, adapting to this sudden environment change, while carefully (experiencing) his own changes.
Though not breaking through to form a Golden Core in one go, he clearly felt—these ten days of closed cultivation had brought him enormous harvest!
First was spiritual energy. Through continuous tempering by this realm's spiritual energy over ten times richer than outside, his liquid spiritual energy within the dantian sea had reached an unprecedented purity and condensation level. If previous spiritual energy was a rushing river, now it was nearly solidified yet still containing terrifying energy like quicksilver! Every drop of spiritual energy was heavy and pure. Between operations, smooth and natural, like moving limbs. Distance from that final qualitative leap of liquid becoming solid Golden Core truly was only that last step's difference. His foundation's solidity exceeded ordinary Foundation Establishment Great Circle cultivators several times over!
Second was divine sense growth. Comprehending those broken ancient Dao rhythms in the realm, especially attempting to touch the Swimming Dragon Nine Turns' fourth turn involving spatial displacement—that was a tremendous test and tempering for his soul. Now, his divine sense's coverage expanded nearly double from before entering the realm, and more condensed and acute. With one thought, everything within several dozen zhang, even subtle movements in the air, spiritual energy's flow—all clearly reflected in his heart, (missing nothing).
The greatest harvest was in understanding and merging his own techniques.
The Swimming Dragon Nine Turns' first three turns, he had completely mastered, and no longer as isolated movement techniques, but beginning to integrate with the Springtime Longevity Art's continuous generation characteristic and Guardian Sword Intent's steady core. Between movements, not only swift as ghost, unpredictable, but also carrying an endless follow-through momentum and immovable steadiness—his movement technique had gained a trace of his own "Dao rhythm."
His understanding of Guardian Sword Intent also deepened. Guardian wasn't passive endurance, could also seek within movement, contained within attack. His sword heart was more transparent and steadfast.
And obtaining the Swimming Dragon Nine Turns' subsequent methods in that golden jade slip opened a door to higher movement technique realms—incalculable value.
One could say these ten days of realm cultivation, though not making him immediately break through to Golden Core, thoroughly "tempered" him inside and out, clearing all potential flaws and hidden dangers, building his foundation so solid it paved the most solid, widest road for him to strive for the Golden Core Dao! At this moment, he had adjusted his state to Foundation Establishment's perfect peak. Only needing an appropriate opportunity, he could naturally condense a Golden Core!
"Phew..." Xiaoqi slowly exhaled turbid breath. This breath was long and pure,unexpectedly (unexpectedly) didn't disperse for a long while in the air. He opened his eyes. The light in his gaze was contained yet deeper.
"Daoist Tang, was the cultivation smooth?" The waiting executive approached with a smile as Xiaoqi returned to his senses. He could feel Xiaoqi's increasingly steady and thick aura, his heart secretly startled. This youth's progress speed was truly terrifying.
"Many thanks for concern. Harvested much." Xiaoqi cupped hands in return, his tone calm.
Leaving the inner city area, Xiaoqi returned to the inn he temporarily resided at. Zhao Tiezhu and the others had waited for some time. Seeing him return, they immediately crowded around.
"Little Seven brother, how was it? Did you break through?" Zhao Tiezhu eagerly asked, face full of anticipation. Pang Hong and others also looked at him nervously.
Xiaoqi smiled slightly, shaking his head: "Not yet formed a Golden Core."
Disappointment appeared on Zhao Tiezhu's face: "Ah? Not yet?" In his view, Xiaoqi entered such a good realm, should have directly broken through.
Xiaoqi saw his thought, calmly explained: "The Golden Core realm is extraordinary. It's not that simply having enough spiritual energy accumulation will do. I've touched the bottleneck. My foundation is also completely polished. Only lacking an opportunity. This realm cultivation's value far exceeds one hasty breakthrough."
He slightly released a thread of his own aura. That steady-as-abyss, pure-to-extremity spiritual energy fluctuation, and that smooth and flawless Dao rhythm seemingly merging with the surroundings—Zhao Tiezhu and Pang Hong immediately fell silent, faces showing shock.
Though their cultivation was below Xiaoqi's, they clearly felt—at this moment, Xiaoqi was vastly different from before entering the realm ten days ago! It was a qualitative improvement, the precursor of quantitative accumulation reaching extreme, about to trigger qualitative change!
"I... I feel you're like a mountain now, (unfathomable)!" Zhao Tiezhu smacked his lips, sincerely sighing.
Pang Hong also respectfully said: "Daoist Tang's foundation's thickness is truly rarely seen in our lifetime! Forming a Golden Core is merely natural."
Xiaoqi nodded, speaking no more. His gaze swept across several people, his voice firm: "The Heavenly Axis City matter is settled. We'll rest here two days, handle some trivial matters, then set out for Cleanness Void Sect."
He needed to return to where his Dao path began, to calmly strive for the Golden Core realm under Senior Brothers' witness. Also, having been away for some time, it was time to return. Senior Brothers were certainly anxious waiting.
"Yes!" Zhao Tiezhu, Pang Hong and others responded in unison, their expressions solemn. Their resolve to follow Xiaoqi strengthened further.
Two days later, the group quietly left bustling Heavenly Axis City, riding their flight artifacts, transforming into flowing lights, heading toward the southeast, toward Cleanness Void Sect's location.
Coming, he was unknown. Returning, he had made a name for himself across Central Plains, carrying Foundation Establishment's most perfect foundation and full confidence in striving for Golden Core.
The Heavenly Axis Ask-the-Heavens Conference chapter had turned. Tang Xiaoqi's true Golden Core Dao was about to officially begin on his familiar land.