I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 269: Third-Turn Golden Dan

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“Senior Lu, are you planning to form your Core?”

The female cultivator in the green dress looked surprised as she gazed at the bearded middle-aged man before her. Her half-kneeling posture became even more deferential, her chest nearly touching her knees.

“Very soon, as quickly as possible,” Lan Changʼan replied.

“Senior, please follow me.”

The female cultivator retrieved a jade pendant and injected it with her spiritual power.

She stood, bending her waist in a respectful bow once more, and led Lan Changʼan into a side hall.

After waiting for a moment...

An elder with a dark face, wooden clogs on his feet, and cultivation at the Fake Dan stage entered the hall.

“Greetings, Senior Wumu Immortal.”
The green-dressed female cultivator clasped her hands respectfully, introduced the two briefly, and then left the side hall.

“Fellow Daoist Lu, please fill out this document. Afterward, Huanglong Immortal City will conduct a verification and review of your identity,” Wumu Immortal said impassively as he tossed a blank jade slip to Lan Changʼan.

Lan Changʼan scanned it with his spiritual sense. The form required him to provide personal information, including his name, age, origin, and past experiences.

This wasn’t his first time. He had formed his Core once before in the Jing Kingdom, and the process was largely the same back then. However, at that time, the Wufu Merchant Association handled much of the cumbersome formalities for him, saving him a lot of trouble.

“May I ask, Senior Immortal, how long will the verification process take?”

As Lan Changʼan “filled out” the information in the jade slip, he noticed that Wumu Immortal’s spiritual sense was already probing him.

However, as a True Dan cultivator and Hundred Illusions Mask, Lan Changʼan naturally wouldn’t be seen through by someone at the Fake Dan stage.

“To rent a third-rank spiritual vein for Core Formation, you’ll need the approval of the deputy city lord of the immortal city. It’s hard to say how long the procedures will take—anywhere from a few months to over a year,” Wumu Immortal replied, his tone strictly businesslike.

Lan Changʼan was well aware of the implications.

Although a year or so might not seem like a long time, most Foundation Establishment cultivators who reached the ninth level were already well into their hundredth year of life. With each passing year, their bodies would decline slightly compared to their peak condition.

At this stage, time was a priceless commodity.

“Senior Immortal, could this process be expedited? If this matter is successful, there will be another... half of it...”

With only the two of them in the side hall, Lan Changʼan skipped the pleasantries and handed a brocade pouch to Wumu Immortal.

Wumu Immortal swept his spiritual sense over the pouch, which contained twenty middle-grade spirit stones. His expression softened noticeably.

With a nod and a faint smile, he said, “I have a good relationship with Deputy City Lord Deng. I can help push things along for you. As long as there’s no issue with your identity, the review should be completed within a month.” ṝ

“In addition, forming a Core at Huanglong Mountain requires a fee of 5,000 spirit stones, according to the rules.”

“However, if Fellow Daoist Lu is willing to sign a contract to serve as a Huanglong Immortal City enforcer for twenty years after successfully forming your Core, this fee can be waived regardless of your success or failure.”

Wumu Immortal added this information as an afterthought.

Lan Changʼan hesitated, struggling internally for a moment. “I can sell some of my magical weapons and resources to cover the 5,000 spirit stones,” he eventually replied.

“Very well. Fellow Daoist, please return and wait for the notice. During this time, do not leave Huanglong Immortal City. You may be contacted for further inquiries,” Wumu Immortal said, concluding their conversation.

...

Back at the inn in Huanglong Immortal City...

After waiting for more than half a month, Lan Changʼan received a message from Wumu Immortal.

He returned to the administrative hall, met with Wumu Immortal, and received a dark bronze token of authorization.

Lan Changʼan handed over the second half of his bribe.

Wumu Immortal, in high spirits, personally escorted him to the third-rank spiritual vein region on Huanglong Mountain.

Lan Changʼan selected a relatively secluded cave mansion.

“Then I wish Fellow Daoist Lu success on forming your Core,” Wumu Immortal said with cupped fists, offering his congratulations.

“Iʼll borrow the auspicious words of the Immortal,” Lan Changʼan replied, cupping his hands in return.

As he watched Lan Changʼan enter the cave mansion, Wumu Immortal returned home, his face thoughtful.

“This person’s spiritual sense is tough, and his magical power is pure and stable. He has a 40-50% chance of forming a Fake Dan,” Wumu Immortal muttered to himself.

“But his age is on the higher side. If there is no superior Core Formation item, his chances of forming a True Dan are rather slim.”

As the manager of the third-rank spiritual veins, Wumu Immortal prided himself on his sharp judgment.

...

Inside the third-rank cave mansion.

The first thing Lan Changʼan did after entering the cave mansion was to set up restrictions, followed by the quasi-fourth-rank illusion array.

The primary purpose was to prevent other high-level cultivators from probing the details of his cave mansion with their spiritual sense.

Such precautions were necessary because the spiritual energy fluctuations during his Core dissolution or Core reformation process might reveal clues about his cultivation.

The strongest guardian of Huanglong Immortal City was a mid-stage True Dan cultivator.

Even at half its power, Lan Changʼan’s quasi-fourth-rank illusion array would have been more than sufficient. For absolute safety, however, he activated it at full capacity.

With everything prepared, Lan Changʼan closed his eyes to rest and once again reviewed the intricacies of the Returning Dust Core Transformation Method, a technique he had long since mastered, along with the insights from Zhang Tieshan.

Zhang Tieshan’s insights were primarily centered on dissolving a Fake Dan.

Dissolving a True Dan, however, was significantly more challenging.

Fortunately, Lan Changʼan was merely dissolving a relatively average low-tier True Dan, one only slightly superior to Fu Xuemei’s borderline True Dan.

[“This is also the reason why the quality of the Core canʼt be high for the first Core Formation.”]

[“No matter how much theoretical knowledge one has or how confident one is, without practical experience, the first Core dissolution must be approached with extreme caution.”]

“With my current body refinement cultivation, even in the worst-case scenario, it won’t result in death,” Lan Changʼan thought.

He activated the Hundred-Refinement Vajra Art, causing his entire body to grow taller by half. His skin and muscles hardened, forming a golden, metallic sheen.

At a glance, he looked like a solid, gilded bronze statue, his every breath exuding a terrifying physical presence.

The oppressive blood energy he emanated was nearly equivalent to that of a third-rank Great Demon.

During his six-month departure from Wuqi Mountain, Lan Changʼan had secluded himself in a remote location, dedicating himself to the Hundred-Refinement Vajra Art. He had finally pushed this body refinement technique to the seventh layer, equivalent to the True Dan stage in body refinement!

Half a day later, Lan Changʼan began circulating the secret technique for dissolving his Core.

After a few moments, his brows furrowed as he felt a trace of discomfort.

At this moment, the spiritual pressure within his body began to gradually decrease, particularly in the region where his True Dan was located.

Even with his True Dan-level body refinement, Lan Changʼan felt a slight unease, underscoring just how intense the pressure of Core dissolution was for most cultivators.

The process of condensing a Core involves the influx of heaven and earth spiritual energy, causing spiritual pressure to rise.

Core dissolution, on the other hand, takes the opposite approach.

“Lower the spiritual pressure, erode it from the outside in, and loosen the Core.”

“Then, vibrate the Core’s central structure at high frequencies from the inside out, causing it to break apart bit by bit into Core fragments…”

Lan Changʼan understood the principles of Core dissolution thoroughly.

In addition to this, he had prepared a specialized potion that would aid in loosening the Core.

The recipe for this potion came from Zhang Tieshan’s insights.

Lan Changʼan’s strong spiritual sense and third-rank body refinement gave him a much larger margin for error than most cultivators.

After another half an hour...

“Hiss!”

Lan Changʼan’s abdomen seemed to cave in and twist slightly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

His dark-green True Dan trembled uncontrollably and expanded slightly, its surface shedding tiny crystal particles the size of grains of sand.

Inside his body, the pressure surged dramatically.

Boom! Boom!

Under the increasingly low spiritual pressure, the Core fragments suddenly liquefied, expanding to several times their original volume.

At the same time, the essence contained within the True Dan rapidly dissipated.

The process also released vast amounts of wood-attribute spiritual energy, which scattered and returned to the heavens and earth.

Throughout this ordeal, Lan Changʼan’s body, including his dantian, hidden meridians, internal organs, bones, and even his life foundation, endured immense pressure and impact.

The damage was like an invisible wind penetrating his internal organs, blood, and bone marrow.

The vibrations and expansion of his True Dan created an unstable force field.

If he lost control, the worst-case scenario would be akin to a small-scale nuclear explosion.

This is why the path of Core dissolution required not only a profound secret technique but also the protection of a Nascent Soul-level cultivator.

“No wonder Core dissolution leaves the foundation easily damaged and the cultivator severely weakened.”

Over time, Lan Changʼan’s technique became more skilled.

The seemingly unstable True Dan stabilized into a relatively balanced state as it continued to shed crystalline particles.

The crystalline particles quickly transformed into liquid spiritual energy.

More of his life essence and a vast amount of wood-attribute spiritual energy dissipated from his body.

Lan Changʼan’s spiritual pressure dropped from the True Dan early stage to the Fake Dan level, his cultivation steadily declining.

Seven days and seven nights later...

Lan Changʼan’s True Dan had completely dissolved into pure, flawless liquid Evergreen mana, which returned to his original spiritual lake.

“My cultivation is back to the ninth level of the Foundation Establishment stage!”

“Hm? It’s actually at the peak of the ninth level. My spiritual power has indeed become slightly purer.”

Having successfully dissolved his Core, Lan Changʼan’s face lit up with joy.

Before forming his Core in the Jing Kingdom, he had only just reached the ninth level of Foundation Establishment.

This successful Core dissolution was equivalent to saving over a decade of cultivation time.

This demonstrated that his timing for his initial Core formation had been exceptionally well-chosen.

...

After the dissolution, Lan Changʼan carefully examined his physical condition.

“My life essence is damaged, and there are faint hidden injuries deep within my body.”

Thanks to his third-rank body refinement, Lan Changʼan had no obvious injuries, not even a single drop of blood.

However, the hidden injuries within his body were unavoidable and would inevitably impact his foundation to some extent.

Even with his strong physique, areas like his internal organs, hidden meridians, and eyes remained vulnerable.

Even Great Demons would suffer significant harm if their eyes or internal organs were struck.

“My lifespan has also drastically dropped, reverting to the lifespan of the Foundation Establishment stage.”

Lan Changʼan could feel the rapid loss of vitality and the strong sense of time slipping away.

After a long while, he finally adapted to the “weakened” state of his body following the Core dissolution.

The drop in his life essence felt excruciating, as if it might even affect his mental state, potentially influencing the success of his next Core formation.

“Fortunately, even at the Foundation Establishment stage, I still have over 500 years of lifespan.”

Unhurried, Lan Changʼan chuckled faintly.

He immediately consumed some of his lifespan to activate the Evergreen secret spell, using it to heal his body.

Buzz!

A faint, ancient green light radiated from within him, carrying an aura of time and cycles of life and death. It resembled the light of life itself, rippling through his body.

“So this is the sensation of the Evergreen secret spell healing me…”

Lan Changʼan closed his eyes, feeling as though he were a fetus in a mother’s womb, nourished by innate qi.

The sensation was utterly intoxicating, making him reluctant to stop.

“Oh no! I overdid it…”

“With just half a year of lifespan, my body is completely healed!”

Lan Changʼan opened his eyes, feeling both physically and mentally refreshed. The hidden injuries and minor flaws within his body had been cleansed and repaired.

His third-rank body refinement meant his injuries had been relatively minor, so they didn’t require much of his lifespan to heal.

Normally, with proper rest and medicinal herbs, he could have fully recovered within a year or two.

However, Lan Changʼan had completed this process in just a few breaths, and his bodyʼs vitality was restored.

Lan Changʼan did not rush to condense his Core again. Instead, he consumed a few spirit medicines to replenish his qi, blood, and essence.

Half a month later, with his energy, spirit, and condition restored to their peak, Lan Changʼan began his first Core formation attempt following his Core dissolution.

Most cultivators attempting Core dissolution lacked his powerful spiritual sense, robust body, or the Evergreen secret spell’s lifespan sacrifice.

Even if they succeeded, post-dissolution recovery could take one to three years at best, or up to five years in more severe cases.

If the damage to their foundation was too severe and irreparable, they might not even succeed in forming a Fake Dan in their next attempt.

...

For Lan Changʼan, condensing the Dan had become an almost effortless task.

Even in a less-than-optimal state, success was not a concern—only the quality of the final Core might be affected, and this was without relying on any external Core formation items.

“This first test of Core dissolution left me with plenty of energy to spare.”

Thanks to his third-rank body refinement, Lan Changʼan had suffered hardly any injuries.

Moreover, he hadn’t even used the previous life possessoin trump card.

Zhang Tieshan’s insights on Core dissolution had noted:

“After dissolving a Core, the quality of the next Core improves by around 20-30%, depending on the individual.”

“With this margin of improvement, I’m even more confident about my next Core dissolution,” Lan Changʼan mused.

Seven days later.

Above Huanglong Mountain, a spiritual cloud of radiant energy stretched over a two-and-a-half-li radius before gently dissipating.

“He succeeded in forming a True Dan!”

“Judging by this phenomenon, it’s at least a low-tier True Dan, and one of higher quality at that.”

Foundation Establishment cultivators, Core Formation Immortals, and even the top echelon of the immortal city all took note of the spectacle above Huanglong Mountain.

Outside Lan Changʼan’s cave mansion, a small group of cultivators, including Wumu Immortal, had gathered.

“That brat actually formed a True Dan. Could he have used some superior Core Formation item?”

Wumu Immortal’s expression shifted between astonishment and envy, his heart tinged with bitterness.

During the era when the Flame Departing Palace held dominance, the emergence of a True Dan cultivator in Huanglong Immortal City would have shaken the entire region.

But after the Golden Sun Sect migrated north and took over, the strength of the Liang Kingdom had risen significantly, leading to a notable increase in the number of True Dan cultivators.

Inside the third-rank cave mansion.

Having successfully ascended to the True Dan stage again, Lan Changʼan closed his eyes and carefully examined the quality of his newly-formed Core.

“Dissolving the Core into liquid has indeed purified my mana. After recondensing the Core, the quality has improved as expected.”

“However, the improvement isn’t as high as the 20-30% mentioned in Zhang Tieshan’s insights—it’s closer to 10-20%.”

This time, the quality of Lan Changʼan’s True Dan was just shy of reaching mid-tier. If it was a 30% improvement, it should have risen to mid-tier.

After some contemplation, Lan Changʼan understood the reason.

A 30% improvement in Core quality is generally applied to cultivators dissolving a Fake Dan.

Fake Dan cultivators were akin to “poor students,” meaning there was much more room for improvement.

Lan Changʼan, however, had been working from the foundation of a True Dan, and a strong one at that. As an “outstanding student,” each incremental improvement in quality came with greater difficulty.

“It doesn’t matter. The cost of dissolving my Core is so low that I can afford to do this as many times as necessary.”

If a few months of lifespan could be used to improve the Core quality by 10-20%, those Core Formation cultivators everywhere would come rushing for such an opportunity.

Never underestimate a 10-20% improvement.

Many Fake Dan cultivators fail to form a True Dan simply because they fall just short of that crucial threshold.

...

Half a month later.

After stabilizing his cultivation, Lan Changʼan emerged from seclusion and deactivated the quasi-fourth-rank illusion array.

Several True Dan cultivators from Huanglong Immortal City came to visit him.

To avoid drawing unnecessary attention to his disguised identity, Lan Changʼan met with a few of them and politely declined their invitations.

The only exception was Wumu Immortal, a Fake Dan cultivator.

“Congratulations, Immortal Lu. To form a True Dan in one step—truly enviable!”

Wumu Immortal’s face was full of smiles as he humbly sat at Lan Changʼan’s side, lavishing him with flattery.

In less than two months, the positions of the two had completely reversed.

Wumu Immortal hadn’t come empty-handed, either, bringing an exceptionally valuable gift that far exceeded the bribe Lan Changʼan had previously given him.

“Regrettably, I have no plans to stay in the Liang Kingdom. I’m preparing to move to the Seven Kingdoms Alliance. While the alliance is also plagued by demonic invasions, its overall strength is far greater than the Liang Kingdom’s borders…”

Half a day later.

After rejecting numerous invitations, Lan Changʼan flew out of Huanglong Immortal City.

Heading westward, he eventually vanished into the desolate wilderness at the Liang Kingdom’s borders.

...

One month later.

Deep in the heart of the Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world, at Liaoyuan Immortal City...

Inside a third-rank cave mansion—

Poof!

A white-robed man with True Dan cultivation dissolved into an illusion, leaving behind a scorched third-rank talisman.

“This Immortal Lan is just now ‘leaving seclusion’ to purchase some supplies,” a voice echoed softly.

Within the cave mansion, the real Lan Changʼan emerged, departing the third-rank cave mansion area.

To others, it appeared that Lan Changʼan had spent the past few months in secluded cultivation at Liaoyuan Immortal City.

This cave mansion was also equipped with restrictions.

Even if a True Dan Immortal swept it with their spiritual sense, they would only sense the presence of a True Dan cultivator, matching Lan Changʼan’s profile.

Forcibly breaking through the restrictions to investigate further would be considered an act of hostility, tantamount to declaring war.

Several days later.

After attending an auction, Lan Changʼan left Liaoyuan Immortal City, the Liang Kingdom’s number one immortal city.

Once again, he vanished without a trace.

...

Far to the north of the Black Fog Mountain Range, beyond its northernmost reaches, a newly established immortal city named Wuguang City stood proudly.

The entire city was enveloped in a radiant, five-colored glow that gave it a resplendent appearance, attracting countless female cultivators who were drawn to its beauty.

This city was jointly founded by forces that had migrated from Feng Kingdom to the north.

Previously, the northern Liang region had been dominated by the Liuyun Sect, the second most powerful faction after the Flame Departing Palace, with Core Formation cultivators.

But now, a new cultivation sect had emerged in the northern region: the Feng Xing Sect, whose strength rivaled the Liuyun Sect.

Wuguang City, in reality, was a puppet city supported by the Feng Xing Sect, strategically created to siphon off a portion of the Liuyun Sect’s influence and resources.

...

Ten months later.

Inside a luxurious hall in the City Lord’s Mansion of Wuguang City...

The Vice City Lord, Huang Chao, was entertaining a beautiful woman dressed in elegant palace attire.

The woman, whose figure was both graceful and alluring, appeared to be around thirty years old. Her complexion was fair, her demeanor elegant, and her cultivation level had reached the late Foundation Establishment stage.

“Fairy Liu, if I’m not mistaken, when the ‘Xuan Yin Pavilion’ was destroyed years ago, its Core cultivators fled northward. Rumor has it they relocated to the desert regions of Feng Kingdom.”

“Why, after all these decades, have you reappeared here in the northern Liang region?”

Huang Chao, a Fake Dan cultivator who appeared no older than thirty, spoke with evident interest as he interrogated the woman in front of him.

As the Vice City Lord of Wuguang City, Huang Chao had a notable background—his grandfather was an inner elder of the Feng Xing Sect.

At the moment, Huang Chao was thoroughly vetting Fairy Liu, who had come to request the use of a third-rank spiritual vein to attempt Core Formation.

The woman in question, Liu Qingyan, had once been an inner disciple of Xuan Yin Pavilion, a sect in the Liang Kingdom.

During the northern migration wars between cultivators, Xuan Yin Pavilion had been destroyed by the forces of the Golden Sun Sect, leaving its members scattered. Liu Qingyan herself had vanished after the fall of her sect.

“City Lord,” Liu Qingyan said softly, her melodious voice tinged with sorrow and an almost imperceptible charm.

“When Xuan Yin Pavilion was defeated, the Pavilion Master perished in the conflict. Elder Niyue did indeed lead some of our sect’s members to Feng Kingdom. However, many female disciples were left scattered, and those with the misfortune of falling into enemy hands suffered tragic fates, reduced to the playthings of others...”

“As for me, a few of my sisters and I managed to escape southward toward Jing Kingdom.”

As she recounted her experiences, Liu Qingyan’s eyes shimmered with tears, her demeanor evoking pity from anyone who looked at her.

Huang Chao’s gaze softened, as if he felt genuine sympathy. His eyes lingered on Liu Qingyan’s delicate, snow-white face, which was as beautiful as it was heart-wrenching.

“City Lord, is there something wrong with my face?”

Noticing Huang Chao’s fixed gaze, Liu Qingyan lowered her head slightly, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.

“No, no, of course not. I was merely sympathizing with your plight,” Huang Chao replied with a smile, withdrawing his gaze.

“In that case, could the City Lord perhaps…”

“The rules of the city, unfortunately, cannot be broken. We must verify and investigate your identity.”

Liu Qingyan sighed faintly. “Ah, I understand the unwritten rules of Wuguang Immortal City...”

She moved closer, her fragrance subtly enveloping Huang Chao.

When her soft, cool fingers brushed against his hand, Huang Chao felt a slight ripple in his heart.

Soon, his gaze fell to the embroidered pouch she had handed him.

“I’ve scraped together what resources I could for my Core formation. All I have left is 1,000 spirit stones. If I fail to form a Core, or only manage to condense a Fake Dan, I may have no choice but to seek refuge under your protection, City Lord.”

With her soft tone and tearful expression, Liu Qingyan exuded an irresistible charm.

“Such sincerity,” Huang Chao chuckled lightly. “If I were to refuse now, wouldn’t I be letting down the favor of such a lovely lady?”

With a smile, Huang Chao pushed the embroidered pouch back into her hands.

...

In just half a month, Liu Qingyan had successfully passed Wuguang City’s identity verification process.

The investigation team had unearthed information about a former outer disciple of Xuan Yin Pavilion, a female cultivator skilled in music arts, who was now selling her talents in a high-end incense house in the city.

This woman was asked to meet with Liu Qingyan to confirm her identity. After a brief and superficial conversation, Liu Qingyan gifted her a music cultivation technique and several hundred spirit stones, dismissing her with ease.

Inside Wuguang Cityʼs third-rank spiritual vein cave mansion.

After setting up restrictions and arrays within her new residence, Liu Qingyan let out a breath of relief.

“Luckily, I didn’t run into any close ‘sisters.’ If they’d tested me on music theory or performance skills, I would’ve been exposed,” she murmured to herself.

As she spoke, the delicate features of the palace-dressed beauty began to blur, shifting back into the face of Lan Changʼan.

It turned out that this entire identity as a female disciple of Xuan Yin Pavilion had been something Lan Changʼan fabricated during his return from Jing Kingdom to Liang Kingdom.

Decades earlier, the real Liu Qingyan had escaped from the Liang Kingdom, intending to find safety in neutral Jing Kingdom.

At the time, she was at the early Foundation Establishment stage and had been injured. Unfortunately, she was ambushed by Lu Chi, Lan Changʼan’s last false identity.

Lu Chi, having taken note of her beauty and proficiency in music, had imprisoned her, intending to use her as a dual-cultivation partner.

After decades of captivity and mental conditioning, Liu Qingyan had gradually succumbed, falling into depravity.

She abandoned her original name, assumed a new identity, and joined Lu Chi in their nefarious deeds, ambushing and killing numerous cultivators.

Eventually, after gaining his trust and reaching the late Foundation Establishment stage, Liu Qingyan betrayed and attempted to assassinate Lu Chi.

To her shock, Lu Chi had anticipated her betrayal.

The two fought fiercely in a mountain cave, leaving both gravely injured.

It was at this moment that Lan Changʼan, passing by, sensed their conflict and casually killed them both.

The story of Liu Qingyan’s degradation remained hidden. She had changed her identity so thoroughly that no one ever connected her with Xuan Yin Pavilion, perhaps because she didn’t want to tarnish the sect’s reputation.

...

Half a month later.

Over Wuguang City, a spiritual cloud of radiant energy spread over a radius of three li, exuding an awe-inspiring and majestic aura.

“A True Dan phenomenon! And not just any True Dan—this one might be of middle-tier quality!”

Within the immortal city, numerous cultivators stopped in their tracks to look skyward, their faces filled with reverence and longing.

“Who would’ve thought... this woman actually succeeded in forming a True Dan,” many murmured.

In the City Lord’s Mansion, Vice City Lord Huang Chao’s face twitched as he watched the phenomenon unfold. A mixture of shock and panic flickered in his eyes.

Just days ago, Liu Qingyan had shared an intimate moment with him, lamenting her serious injuries and the damage to her foundation, and with the inferior Crystal Condensation Pill she could obtain, the best case scenario was a Fake Dan, with a higher chance of failure… If she failed, she had said, she would be left with no choice but to rely on him for support.

A damaged foundation? A Fake Dan at best?!

The spiritual energy cloud now dispersing in the sky told a completely different story. A True Dan was all but guaranteed, and it might even exceed low-tier.

Huang Chao’s face flushed with indignation, and he nearly cursed aloud.

However, as he stared at the gradually dissipating Core phenomenon, his feelings of betrayal, jealousy, and anger began to fade.

A music path True Dan female cultivator was bound to be highly sought after in high-level cultivator circles.

As a mere Fake Dan cultivator, Huang Chao knew better than to offend such a person. Doing so could spell trouble for both himself and his family.

...

Inside the third-rank cave mansion.

“The effects of a second Core dissolution are even better than expected!”

A year after his previous Core formation, Lan Changʼan opened his eyes and smiled faintly.

This second attempt at Core dissolution and reformation, accomplished without the use of external aids, had resulted in a middle-tier True Dan.

Even the Core Formation seeds cultivated by Nascent Soul sects would struggle to achieve this level of success.

Of course, this was largely due to Lan Changʼan’s personal advantages—his wealth of experience, refined techniques, and exceptional spiritual sense.

“However, the improvement this time was barely 15%. Furthermore, the pressure from the Core dissolution process has increased noticeably!”

Lan Changʼan realized that the mana quality increases gained through the Core dissolution were rapidly approaching their limit.

“Three times. No more. Otherwise, even with a fake identity, it would be easy for the outside world to make the connections.”

He finalized his plan internally.

Three Transformations of True Dan!

The Third-Turn True Dan would be his final attempt. For this, he would use all of the best Core Formation items at his disposal.

With over 50% confidence in forming a Golden Dan, Lan Changʼan was optimistic about his chances.

Even in the worst-case scenario, like the Earth Burrowing Rat, he was certain he could at least achieve a Half-Step Golden Dan.

While Lan Changʼan’s unique circumstances allowed him to endure multiple rounds of Core dissolution with minimal cost, he knew the diminishing returns weren’t worth the increasing risks.

High risk, low gain, wasnʼt in line with his philosophy.

“This will be my last attempt. At most, the next Core dissolution will yield a 10% improvement, or perhaps even less.”

With diminishing rewards and escalating risks, continuing beyond a third attempt would be reckless and counterproductive.

“Three-Turn Core Refinement will push my potential to the limit while keeping the risks under control. If I still fail to form a Golden Dan after that, then I’ll simply accept my fate.”

After all, even with heavenly spiritual roots and the most diverse and superior Core Formation items, not even geniuses could guarantee the creation of an Immortal Golden Dan.