89: Preparations before Core Formation

On the other side of Luoxia Peak, Lin Qingxue's familiar and quiet courtyard was silent.

Yao Delong stood outside the courtyard gate, his Divine Sense quietly sweeping through.

The courtyard was as tidy as ever, with several spiritual plants growing lushly, clearly being tended to regularly.

He did not detect Lin Qingxue's Aura within the courtyard; she clearly hadn't returned.

"It seems Junior Sister hasn't come back yet. She must be staying a few more days to accompany her parents."

Yao Delong understood and wasn't surprised.

Junior Sister was naturally lively; it was normal for her to stay a bit longer since it was rare for her to return home down the mountain.

Standing in place, he looked within himself. Inside his Sea of Consciousness, his Divine Sense power had grown significantly, faintly condensing;

The first layer of the Great Sun Glazed Body had reached Perfection; his blood surged like liquid mercury, and his bones rang like gold and jade;

Within his Dantian, the spiritual sea had accumulated to the limit of the Foundation Establishment Stage.

He was only one step away from triggering a qualitative change and transforming it into a Golden Core!

"Divine Soul, physique, and spiritual power have all reached the limit of Foundation Establishment Peak."

A sharp light flashed in Yao Delong's eyes. "The time, the place, and the people are all in alignment; it's time for Core Formation!"

Core Formation was a crucial step on the path of cultivation, and there was no room for the slightest carelessness.

Ordinary Cultivators mostly relied on slow, grinding accumulation to break through, and when the time came, it would trigger naturally.

But his foundation far exceeded those of the same rank, and with the System at his side, he naturally wanted to pursue the flawless Golden Core Realm!

"gold condensation pill!"

Yao Delong made his plan. This pill was a top-tier Medicinal Pill for assisting in Core Formation.

It could provide a massive and pure amount of spiritual essence at the critical moment of condensing the Golden Core,

greatly increasing the success rate of Core Formation, and was an essential item for striving for a high-quality Golden Core!

He naturally needed such an important Medicinal Pill.

With his goal clear, Yao Delong no longer hesitated. His figure turned into an inconspicuous streak of light, heading straight for the core area of the Sect—the Treasure Pavilion!

The Treasure Pavilion stood tall and majestic, its hall doors breathing out various streaks of light. Disciples were coming and going in a constant stream, a scene of bustling activity.

When Yao Delong, dressed in that gold-trimmed black robe that hid flowing light and displayed nobility, stepped into the spacious and grand hall of the Treasure Pavilion...

The originally noisy environment seemed to have been muted, instantly becoming much quieter.

Countless gazes focused on him all at once!

That robe, symbolizing the status and position of an inner gate Core Disciple, was itself a silent deterrent!

The dark gold cloud patterns on it flowed with a restrained and noble brilliance under the soft spiritual light shed from the ceiling of the Treasure Pavilion.

It made his tall and straight figure appear even more heroic and extraordinary.

What was even more eye-catching was the Aura naturally radiating from Yao Delong.

The majestic blood power brought by the Perfection of the Great Sun Glazed Body was like a lurking beast, containing explosive strength;

Pure Yang Spiritual Power was contained within his body, yet threads of it leaked out, forming a unique Aura that was extremely Yang, extremely firm, and as thick as a mountain.

This field was far beyond what an ordinary Foundation Establishment Perfection could compare to, faintly possessing the pressure only found in a Golden Core Cultivator!

"Hiss... Who is this Senior Brother? Such a strong Aura! Why haven't I seen him before?"

"That Daoist robe... Heavens! It's the inner gate Core Disciple uniform! Which Peak Master's personal Disciple is he?"

"Looking at his Aura... he's clearly still at Foundation Establishment Perfection, but how does he feel more intimidating than many Deacons at the Early Golden Core Stage?"

Whispers spread through the crowd like ripples. Many people's eyes were filled with curiosity and awe.

Especially some female Disciples who cultivated Dual Cultivation Techniques or were skilled at reading people; their gazes were practically glued to Yao Delong.

That tall figure, the sharp-featured face, and the eyes that were deep and steady yet piercing,

coupled with the noble status of a Core Disciple and this heart-capturing masculine Aura... he was simply the perfect candidate for a Dao Companion!

Many female Disciples' eyes sparkled, and some even boldly cast affectionate glances and charming smiles.

They hoped to receive even a sliver of a response from this mysterious and powerful Senior Brother.

This was a world of difference from the gazes in Yao Delong's memory, which were either full of disdain or avoidant and dismissive!

Amidst the discussions, someone finally pointed out Yao Delong's identity.

"He... he is Senior Brother Yao Delong!"

"Yao Delong? Which Yao Delong?!"

"Who else could it be! It's Senior Brother Yao Delong, who crushed the competition in the Inner Sect Assessment a few days ago and was exceptionally promoted to an inner gate Core Disciple!"

"What?! He's Yao Delong?!" Exclamations rose one after another.

"Heavens! This is completely different from the person in the rumors!"

"With such a deep and profound Aura, no wonder he could be promoted to Core Disciple! We were truly looking at the sky from the bottom of a well!"

Those Disciples who had heard the title "Shame of the Sect" but had never seen him,

now looked at Yao Delong with nothing but shock and disbelief.

Yao Delong looked straight ahead, acting as if he hadn't heard the discussions or felt the gazes.

He walked straight toward the Medicinal Pill area, his goal clear.

The person in charge of the Medicinal Pill area counter was a Deacon Elder with white hair and beard, whose Aura had reached the Mid Nascent Soul Stage.

This Elder had been resting with his eyes closed, but sensing a powerful and unique Aura approaching, he slowly opened his eyes.

When he saw the gold-trimmed black robe on Yao Delong and the special Core Disciple marking on his identity jade pendant...

A sharp light flashed in his cloudy old eyes, his laziness vanished instantly, replaced by a look of utmost respect.

"This... Junior Brother Yao?"

The Deacon Elder quickly confirmed his identity, a smile spreading across his face, his attitude diligent yet appropriate.

"I didn't know Junior Brother Yao was visiting. What kind of Medicinal Pill do you need? We have everything here!"

"gold condensation pill." Yao Delong was concise, his voice calm, "I want the best quality."

"gold condensation pill? Is Junior Brother about to charge into the Golden Core Realm? Congratulations, congratulations!"

The Deacon Elder's smile grew even wider, thinking to himself that this Yao Delong was indeed not simple!

He hurriedly took out three exquisite jade bottles from a restricted jade box under the counter and carefully placed them in front of Yao Delong.

"Junior Brother, please look! These three gold condensation pills were all made by an Inner Sect Elder of Pill Cloud Peak!

The medicinal power is pure, with very few Impurities, and the quality is excellent! They are definitely the best choice for Core Formation!"

The Deacon Elder introduced them enthusiastically, opening a stopper, and a rich, mellow pill fragrance instantly filled the air.

This caused several nearby Disciples to uncontrollably crane their necks.

Yao Delong picked up a jade bottle and poured out a pill the size of a longan, perfectly round, golden-red in color, with a faint pill pattern flowing on its surface.

He looked closely, then held it between his fingertips, sending a tiny thread of Divine Sense power into it.

After a moment, he frowned almost imperceptibly.

The pill was a good pill, with a rich fragrance and majestic spiritual power.

But he was also an Alchemist with significant skill, and he instantly discovered subtle flaws—

The medicinal power, though powerful, was slightly mixed and not entirely integrated;

The faint pill pattern was not natural either, but barely formed through later nourishment, appearing somewhat stiff;

Most importantly, the subtle differences in the heat used when refining several auxiliary herbs caused a barely perceptible "gap" when the core medicinal power fused.

A gold condensation pill of this quality would be enough to make an ordinary Disciple ecstatic, but for someone like him pursuing a perfect dao foundation, it was still lacking.

"Elder, although this pill is good, it is still one step away from Perfection."

Yao Delong put down the pill and said in a flat tone.

The Deacon Elder's smile stiffened, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

These gold condensation pills were fine products from Pill Cloud Peak; had this Junior Brother Yao actually found fault with them?

However, he reacted quickly and immediately said, "Junior Brother's eyes are indeed sharp!

This... this is already the best quality gold condensation pill currently in the pavilion.

If Junior Brother needs something more perfect, perhaps... perhaps you must wait for Junior Martial Uncle Dan Chenzi to personally start the furnace, or look for the legendary 'flawless gold condensation pill'."

Yao Delong had expected this and wasn't disappointed. Instead, he asked:

"Does your pavilion have the Pill Formula for the gold condensation pill for sale? If so, please prepare three sets of medicinal ingredients for refining this pill for me as well."

Hearing this, the Deacon Elder's eyes lit up! Was this Junior Brother Yao going to refine it himself? He didn't dare to be negligent and hurriedly said:

"Yes! We have the Pill Formula! The medicinal ingredients are also in stock!"