The Golden Core is the purest and most refined of entities. Therefore, he must release the spiritual energy from the Xuan Seed, using the True Fire in the Acupoint to temper it repeatedly, refining away all impurities brought into his body during the day he absorbed Cloud Sand and condensed Evil Qi. Then, he nourishes and replenishes it with Bright Stone Milk, slowly refining it until he can nurture the Elixir Seed. Once the elixir forms, there will be no distinction between gaseous and refined energies. At this point, the energy gathers into one, forming a unified whole. From then on, with a single Golden Core, he can command the wondrous spiritual mechanism and vast mana.
Zhang Yan fixed his gaze upward and concentrated his cultivation. As the energy moved, only the sound of a "swoosh" was heard, as if an invisible large hand had grabbed the five Xuan Seeds and merged them into one entity. In an instant, they became indistinguishable, and after a moment, a glimmering five-colored radiance shone forth.
Zhang Yan seized the opportunity, formed a spell with his fingers, then opened his mouth to draw out the True Fire in the Acupoint from his Qi Sea, spraying it onto the Xuan Seeds.
Under the blazing True Fire, the five-colored radiance seemed unable to endure, emitting crackling sounds and showing faint signs of fracturing.
Remaining calm and collected, he lifted his finger and guided a few drops of Bright Stone Milk from the bottle, pouring them onto the seeds. Like sweet rain descending from above, the spiritual rain nourished them, and the dazzling radiance stabilized once more.
Gradually, a wisp of black mist began to drift out, but in this Spirit Cleansing Cave, it found no place to linger. The moment it appeared, it was cleansed entirely by the Clear Qi in the cave. Meanwhile, the five-colored radiance subtly diminished by an imperceptible fraction.
Patiently, Zhang Yan continued to temper the radiance with True Fire. Whenever signs of fracturing appeared, he would summon True Power with all his might, enshrouding it in spiritual energy, and further replenishing and stabilizing it with Bright Stone Milk, ensuring not a single bit of its essence would dissipate.
For a typical cultivator, possessing no more than a single Xuan Seed with a mere dozen traces of spiritual energy in their Qi Sea, this method would naturally take no more than an hour to achieve Perfect Realm.
However, Zhang Yan possessed the complete Five Elements Xuan Seeds and a full eighty-one streams of spiritual energy, requiring several times the effort compared to others.
Approximately a day later, a low shout resounded within the Cave Mansion. Zhang Yan retracted the True Fire, and before him appeared a gleaming, naked, radiant, perfectly round Golden Core. Laughing heartily, he tilted his head back and swallowed it into his belly.
This core is merely an Elixir Seed; he must still use the Inner Three Elixirs and the inner refining method to temper it further before it can achieve Elixir Fruit.
Turning his inner vision inward, Zhang Yan assessed the Elixir Seed’s color and luster. If no mistakes occur in the subsequent process, it will ascend beyond the Fourth Grade Golden Core.
Elixirs are divided into nine grades, with medicine accounting for three parts, methods accounting for three parts, and fortune accounting for three parts.
The medicine’s three parts signify that if the cultivator’s internal and external six elixirs are of high grade, they can contribute qualities equivalent to a Third Grade of achievement.
The methods’ three parts indicate that if a cultivator rigorously practices mysterious skills and employs superior cultivation methods, they can gain another Third Grade of achievement.
Lastly, fortune’s three parts pertain to the elusive Upper Three Elixirs, which are entirely reliant on the cultivator’s personal luck, opportunity, and cosmic fortune—utterly unpredictable.
For disciples of great sects, unless their natural aptitude is exceedingly poor, their cultivation techniques are inadequate, or the quality of their Outer Three Elixirs is subpar, they mostly achieve a Sixth Grade Elixir Formation. As for Zhang Yan, who cultivates the Taiyin Xuan Guang, a superior cultivation method of the Xuanmen, and whose Outer Three Elixirs are of superior quality, forming this Elixir Seed is unsurprising.
However, upon forming this Elixir Seed, Zhang Yan can no longer turn back. If he fails to sense and capture the Upper Three Elixirs during inner refining, he will no longer have the chance to elevate the elixir’s grade.
At this juncture, a trace of solemnity surfaced on his face.
Celestial Essence, No-Leak Wind, and Heart Fire—these three items constitute the Upper Three Elixirs. Obtaining any one of them can elevate the elixir by a grade. If his foundation already exceeds Fourth Grade, acquiring all three can lead to a First-class Elixir Formation!
But precisely when these three elixirs should emerge, when they should descend, when they should flourish, and when they should decline—this remains beyond his understanding.
External refinement methods are conducted externally, and thus no secrecy is involved. It is simply a matter of following instructions and established procedures, something everyone can perform.
However, the inner refining method is laden with marvelous techniques and hidden secrets, traditionally conveyed orally and heart-to-heart among masters, disciples, and noble families. It is never committed to writing or casually revealed to outsiders.
This is why the great sects prosper and endure, not only because of their superior cultivation methods or their occupation of Spirit Caves but also due to the secrets handed down through generations.
Even if one were fortunate enough to encounter immortal opportunities outside, if incompatible with the sect’s cultivation methods, they would be unable to receive guidance from their predecessors during Core Formation. Such individuals may gain temporary advantages in major aspects, but they will falter in these minor yet pivotal details, relying solely on their personal fortune and destiny.
No matter how exceptionally talented or profoundly qualified one may be, if they aspire to truly achieve the Immortal Dao, Core Formation entails only a single opportunity. Success is success; failure means utter failure.
Cultivators who fail in Core Formation and only manage to attain the Small Golden Core are, more often than not, destined never to achieve the Great Dao.