Two Realms: I Will Become the Immortal Emperor

Chapter 336: Chapter 307: Golden Core

Chen Che had already spent the last two months preparing. Having fought his way out of Yunzhou, his mental fortitude far surpassed that of the Immortal Sect’s disciples. Never mind achieving Core Formation under so many watchful eyes—he could instantly stabilize his state of mind even while under direct attack.

”Since you’re ready, let’s begin.”

Li Tingyu could also see that Chen Che was in excellent condition, so she turned and left the square.

The students, teachers, and guests had all been arranged outside the valley to prevent the crowd from affecting the intensity of the tribulation. The entire academy had suspended classes for the day. As everyone watched Chen Che walk to the center of the square, they couldn’t help but feel envious.

He sat cross-legged on the prepared Jade Platform.

Chen Che immediately felt a difference. A cool sensation flooded him, instantly purging all stray thoughts from his mind. Even the circulation speed of his Ancient Energy-Introducing Technique increased by severalfold.

In addition, Arrays capable of resisting Celestial Thunder had been set up around him.

Clearly, these were benefits provided by the academy.

’The benefits are quite good, but I might not even need them...’

On the Jade Platform, Chen Che glanced around. He already knew about all these preparations. In fact, half a month ago, Sister Li had gone over the purpose of each Array with him again and again, telling him when to activate them.

Even if he failed to cross the tribulation, the teachers from the various departments would intervene to help.

Of course, that was only a last resort.

The Golden Core Tribulation was divided into four barriers.

True Essence, Divine Sense, Heart Demon, and the Triple Thunder Tribulation.

He had no worries about True Essence. Over the past several months, he had thoroughly solidified the foundation within his body. His surging True Essence was now as substantial as Qi and Blood, like liquid mercury flowing through his entire being.

To advance any further, Core Formation was the only way.

As for his Divine Sense, it had already reached the level of the Golden Core Fourth Layer. He was absolutely confident he could break through that barrier with a single thought.

The only variables were the Heart Demon Tribulation and the Triple Thunder Tribulation.

However, he had always strived for a clear and unobstructed mind, so that shouldn’t be an issue either.

BOOM!

At this thought, in the eyes of the crowd, Chen Che, who had been sitting for a long time, suddenly jolted. His robes billowed out, and he floated into mid-air without using an ounce of True Essence. A hurricane, visible to the naked eye, erupted from his body and radiated outward.

”It’s starting.”

The students who had come to observe were no strangers to this scene.

Everyone was familiar with the Core Formation process. Like preparing for an exam, they knew what to expect and how to handle any anomalies.

And at this moment, the phenomenon was the result of him circulating all the True Essence in his body and converging it into his Dantian. Streams of incomparably pure True Essence surged from his limbs and bones. Like a hundred rivers flowing to the sea, they followed the path of his Cultivation Technique and rapidly converged on his Dantian.

Simultaneously, a Pill the size of a dust mote formed within Chen Che’s Dantian. The countless surging streams of True Essence gathered like Starfire, sacrificing themselves to strengthen this nascent ”Golden Core.”

The entire process was irreversible.

If he chose to stop, the True Essence, which was currently as docile as a lamb, would immediately backlash and severely damage his Dao Foundation.

”He’s not taking any Pills...”

Many students noticed this oddity and began to mutter among themselves.

Just then, a teacher at the side began to explain:

”Generally speaking, there are two opportune moments to take a Pill during Core Formation. The first is before you begin, to achieve Core Formation in one go. But the drawback is that the impurities in the Pill’s medicinal power will affect the quality of the Golden Core.”

”The second is when your True Essence is insufficient, to take a Pill at the final crucial moment. This minimizes the impact on the Golden Core, but the drawback is that it adds uncertainty. As for Chen Che, his foundation is extremely solid; he doesn’t need to rely on external aid.”

At this moment, Chen Che’s eyes were tightly shut, having entered a state of complete self-forgetfulness. Had it been an ordinary person, their True Essence would have been completely drained by now. But he still had more than half of his remaining, continuously nourishing the Golden Core.

This process lasted several times longer than it would for others.

Ultimately, however, nourished by all of Chen Che’s True Essence, the Golden Core finally grew into a golden orb the size of a longan. From the outside, it looked nearly identical to a Qingxu Guiyuan Pill.

The Golden Core.

Initially formed!

However, this was merely a tangible but insubstantial shell. If he failed to cross the tribulation, all his efforts would be for naught.

Crossing the Tribulation was a continuous process.

After the Golden Core formed, the second barrier immediately followed.

Within his sea of consciousness, a torrential power assaulted him in wave after wave.

This was the Divine Sense Barrier.

However, for Chen Che, this barrier was incredibly easy.

BANG!

He activated his Divine Sense and launched a direct counterattack, forcefully blasting the tide of power apart.

Instantly, a transparent, several-foot-tall figure began to form within his sea of consciousness. Its features were distinct and lifelike, like a 3D projected hologram. This was his condensed Divine Soul, which would serve as the foundation for his future Primordial Spirit.

The Divine Sense Barrier posed almost no difficulty at all.

But at almost the same time, countless distracting thoughts flooded his mind. It was as if innumerable people were whispering in his ear—voices shifting between male and female, old and young, crying and laughing, their age and gender impossible to distinguish. Every sound tugged at the most vulnerable parts of his heart.

The Heart Demon Tribulation!

This was the barrier that thwarted countless Cultivators. In life, things rarely go as planned. Any regrets, once formed, would fester into lingering discontent. From major partings of life and death down to a single misspoken word, everything would be magnified a hundredfold by the Heart Demon Tribulation.

It was said that upon reaching the Divinity Transformation Realm, one would even attract otherworldly Celestial Demons. These beings were especially adept at bewitchment and mental attacks. If a Cultivator failed to hold true to their convictions, their consciousness would be eroded by the Celestial Demon, and they would fall into the Demon Dao, losing their sense of self.

However, for Chen Che, that step was still a distant prospect.

Almost at the same time, the fourth tribulation also began. A vast expanse of dark clouds materialized out of thin air above the square, with countless Thunder Pythons slithering within. Even though this was a spatial fissure, it was still subject to the laws of heaven and earth.

Even if you were to hide ten thousand fathoms underground, the tribulation clouds would still form.

The Heart Demon Tribulation was so terrifying because it occurred simultaneously with the lightning tribulation. If one’s mind was distracted while focusing all their energy on enduring the tribulation, causing their True Essence circulation to falter, they would very likely face complete annihilation of both body and soul.

BOOM!

The very instant the tribulation clouds formed, the countless bolts of lightning churning within seemed to find an outlet, converging at the center of the storm.

CRACK!

Thunder roared as a silver arc of electricity snaked downward. Like a ferocious Thunder Dragon, it streaked down from a thousand zhang high in the sky, not pausing for even a moment before slamming directly into Chen Che.

”How could this be?”

In the viewing stands, many students leaped to their feet in shock. He hadn’t used a Magical Artifact, unleashed a Divine Ability, or even activated his True Essence Shield.

”Body Refining! He’s practiced Body Refining!”

Li Tingyu quickly explained, ”The Flame Emperor Body Forging Technique! He’s mastered the first volume, so it shouldn’t be a problem...”

Before she could finish, her words were drowned out by the roar of thunder.

The Thunder Dragon slammed into Chen Che and exploded. Countless electric serpents writhed wildly, coiling around and covering his entire body. At first glance, he looked as though he were wearing a resplendent Thunderlight Robe.

And at this moment, Chen Che was still in the throes of the Heart Demon Tribulation.

Within his sea of consciousness, tens of thousands of figures materialized. They were all people he knew, from both his current life and his past one—friends and enemies alike. His past life, in particular, was a far more distant memory.

Their faces were filled with envy, jealousy, hatred... and fond attachment. In this moment, all these emotions were laid bare.

The reason Chen Che hadn’t reacted to the first bolt of Tribulation Thunder was precisely because he saw those people from his past life.

”Chen Che, let’s get married after graduation...”

”Your job, your career, your marriage—you failed at everything. What makes you think you can cultivate?”

”Chen Che, Mom and Dad miss you. We don’t ask you to be a great success; we just want you to live a happy life. If you’re not happy out there, just come home. Mom and Dad are waiting for you...”

They mocked, criticized, or lamented. Every word entered his ears and struck straight at his heart.

Chen Che’s expression was blank, like an old monk in deep Meditation.

Suddenly, he heaved a long sigh. With it, the countless figures trembled, then silently turned to ash and dispersed. That one sigh contained his acceptance of the past, a final act of letting go of his former self.

In the blink of an eye, the vast majority of the tens of thousands of figures had scattered.

Only an elderly couple remained. Their forms flickered in the wind, yet they seemed to persist, as if unwilling to dissipate, wanting to look at Chen Che for just a moment longer...

”It’s all in the past now.”

He spoke softly, and the last two figures dissipated like a dream.

Instantly, the voices in his ears fell silent.

When he looked up again, the second bolt of Tribulation Thunder slammed into him at almost the exact same moment.

BOOM!

This bolt of Celestial Thunder was several times more terrifying than the previous one. Chen Che’s face turned pale, his Essence Blood instantly bottoming out. This was because he had been enthralled by the Heart Demon and hadn’t used a single shred of True Essence to defend himself.

He had endured it completely with his physical body alone.

Before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, the oppressive tribulation clouds churned again. Countless electric serpents converged from all directions, the pulsating lightning causing the world to flicker between light and shadow!

The third bolt of Celestial Thunder—and the most powerful one!

RUMBLE!

This time, the oppressive clouds themselves seemed to descend under the influence of the Celestial Tribulation. Yet the resulting bolt of lightning wasn’t immensely powerful; on the contrary, it was just a single, thin strand.

This was a sign that the Tribulation Thunder had been condensed to its absolute limit.

Chen Che’s expression tightened. With a wave of his hand, seventy-two Flying Swords shot out from between his eyebrows. They formed a Sword Rainbow that tore through the heavens, crashing directly into the final bolt of Celestial Thunder.

The third bolt of Tribulation Thunder was equivalent to a full-powered strike from a Golden Core Cultivator; his body, in its current state, couldn’t possibly withstand it. Moreover, he had already endured two bolts. There was no need to be greedy and try to tank this final one.

Greed would only be rewarded with death and the destruction of his Dao.

BOOM!

In the eyes of the onlookers, the Sword Rainbow pierced through heaven and earth, as unstoppable as a comet striking the moon.

It looked as if it would shatter the Tribulation Thunder with ease. But in the end, the bolt of thunder cut through the Sword Rainbow like a hot knife through butter, cleaving apart thirty-nine of the swords before its momentum finally began to slow. Then, one Flying Sword after another was flung aside, the clang of metal on metal ringing across the heavens.

Finally, the seventy-two Flying Swords rained down, embedding themselves in the ground around the valley. At the same time, the hair-thin bolt of Tribulation Thunder vanished, and all celestial phenomena faded away.

And at that same moment, the sky, now free of tribulation clouds, was as clear and blue as if it had been washed.

A seven-colored rainbow bridge stretched across the sky above the square.

Chen Che let out a long, slow breath.

The Golden Core.

Was formed!