1: What is the golden elixir?

What is a Golden Core?

"Borrow another five hundred years from the heavens; from now on, my destiny is mine, not the heavens'."

This is the Golden Core!

A Golden Core ingested, transcending the mundane, no longer a Mortal.

This was the initial dream of countless Cultivators.

Inside a hidden Immortal Cave on a certain mountain peak, Li Xiangyun sat cross-legged, his face as pale as paper, traces of blood overflowing from the corner of his mouth.

He was severely injured, his Qi weak, and he appeared incredibly aged.

"Cough... cough..."

Li Xiangyun suddenly coughed up two mouthfuls of fresh blood, "Failed again~"

A desolate, helpless voice echoed within the Immortal Cave, yet it carried a hint of relief.

Perhaps on the verge of death, Li Xiangyun began to recall various past events.

He was not originally from this world; he was one of the myriad Transmigration army.

Unlike the truck-related fortuitous encounters of other Transmigrators, Li Xiangyun was an excellent pilot in his previous life.

At only twenty years old, he was an experienced pilot with eight years of flight experience.

That night, Li Xiangyun was playing Honor of Kings, specifically his favorite lane: the Clash Lane.

The so-called Clash Lane meant clashing with his left hand and navigating with his right hand.

For Li Xiangyun, an eight-year veteran, this was effortless.

Unexpectedly, just as he was about to achieve a penta-kill, he suddenly died of excitement and an accident, arriving in this Cultivation world.

It was unclear whether it was due to an incorrect Transmigration posture or some other reason, but Li Xiangyun was different from others from birth.

He was born without a System or a Golden Finger, yet he naturally possessed good Aptitude.

A natural Ice Spiritual Root!

In this world, an Ice Spiritual Root was a type of variant Spiritual Root, on par with wind and lightning, second only to the Five Elements Heavenly Spiritual Root.

It could be said that he possessed outstanding Aptitude, a peerless Genius found in one out of a hundred thousand.

Coupled with Li Xiangyun's naturally extraordinary Soul Power.

Ultimately, he diligently Cultivated, breaking through to the Golden Core Stage in just two hundred years, becoming the renowned Golden Core True Person.

He was even appointed as an Inner Sect Elder by the Nascent Soul Sect, Ten Thousand Swords Sect, enjoying unparalleled prestige.

But all of this changed ten years later.

Forty years ago, in the Extraterritorial Battlefield, Li Xiangyun was ambushed and severely injured.

Although he eventually escaped, he suffered indelible injuries that caused his Realm to stagnate.

During this period, Li Xiangyun tried to Breakthrough his Cultivation multiple times to heal his injuries, but he never succeeded, instead exacerbating the deterioration of his injuries.

Now, this was his last attempt to Breakthrough his Cultivation, even preparing a third-grade superior Medicinal Pill, the Yin and Yang Pill, in advance for this purpose.

The Yin and Yang Pill, containing the profound mystery of the endless cycle of Yin and Yang, could not only alleviate Li Xiangyun's injuries but also enhance his Cultivation, especially for his Ice Spiritual Root.

But evidently, Li Xiangyun still failed.

The Lifespan of a Golden Core Stage Cultivator is eight hundred years. Li Xiangyun, at only two hundred and fifty years old, was already incredibly aged, indicating that he was at the end of his rope.

Feeling his Lifespan, now less than a year, Li Xiangyun's face was a constant interweaving of resentment, unwillingness, and bitterness.

Finally, it all transformed into a heavy sigh,

"Alas~"

A sigh, representing that Li Xiangyun had completely let go, his past glory and dreams dissipating with the wind.

It represented that Li Xiangyun had gradually accepted the cruel reality of his impending death.

But even so, his heart was still filled with sorrow.

Extraordinary from a young age, with outstanding Aptitude, Li Xiangyun had once fantasized that he was the chosen one.

Especially as a Golden Core at only two hundred years old, Li Xiangyun was even hailed as the youngest Golden Core True Person in the Great Zhou Dynasty in a hundred years.

Once, he was revered by thousands; once, he possessed unparalleled grace; once, he had a vast and beautiful future.

But all of this... was ruined forty years ago.

Originally, although Li Xiangyun was severely injured, he was not on the verge of death. If he had been a bit more cautious, he might have lived for several hundred more years.

But he was simply unwilling.

Having had a smooth life since childhood and a great future, he was unwilling to have his path cut short like this, and even more unwilling to merely survive without any future.

So, he continuously tried, continuously attempting to Breakthrough.

He wanted to rise from the ashes, like the protagonists in novels from his previous life.

But unfortunately, he was not the protagonist from those novels.

His continuous attempts ultimately rendered his already severely injured body utterly broken.

Now, his once brilliant Golden Core had shattered, and his entire Dantian appeared dim and lifeless, filled with Death Qi.

Every moment, Spiritual Qi continuously overflowed, indicating that his body was entering a death countdown.

One can only say, novels misled me!

Thinking of this, Li Xiangyun couldn't say whether he regretted it or not.

But undoubtedly, if he could do it again, he would still do it, but not in the same way.

"It's time to go back~"

Since he had accepted reality, there was nothing left to cling to.

Li Xiangyun sighed again, slowly stood up, and brushed the dust from his body.

Li Xiangyun's Immortal Cave was located inside a cave below a cliff.

Walking out of the cave, he looked at the surrounding mountains in the distance, lush and green.

Li Xiangyun commented with a melancholic expression, "It's been over two hundred years; it's time to go back and see."

Perhaps because of a complex from his previous life, as death approached, Li Xiangyun suddenly had the idea of returning to his roots.

Once this idea arose, he couldn't stop it.

Just like a traveler who has lost his goal, he wants to return to his original starting point.

Li Xiangyun was the same, even if that place had once brought him some unpleasant memories... But before that, Li Xiangyun still needed to return to the Sect.

Thinking this, Li Xiangyun's figure flickered, and he disappeared from his original spot... Ten Thousand Swords Sect, one of the three Nascent Soul-level Sects of the Great Zhou Dynasty, on par with Asked Dao Academy and Spirit Beast Sect.

It was also the Holy Land for countless Sword Cultivators in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Once, Li Xiangyun was an Inner Sect Elder of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect.

"Greetings, Elder Li!"

Walking on the path to the Sect's main hall, the Sect Disciples along the way continuously greeted Li Xiangyun with great respect.

Even though he was severely injured and had little time left, he was still a Golden Core True Person.

A Golden Core cannot be insulted!

Even if Li Xiangyun was down and out, he was not someone those Qi Cultivators could bully.

But after Li Xiangyun left, those Disciples immediately changed their expressions.

"Is this still the once renowned Ice Peak Zhenren? He's become so old~"

"The last time I saw him, he wasn't this old. Now, he looks like a dying old man. It seems Elder Li has failed again."

After all, Li Xiangyun always looked a bit older each time he returned from an outing, so everyone was already used to it.

"If you ask me, he deserves it. He still had several hundred years of Lifespan left to live, but instead of enjoying his retirement in the Sect, he had to waste it. What a waste of natural resources!"

"Watch your words! How can a Golden Core True Person be slandered by the likes of us?"

"What are you afraid of? Looking at him, he might be dying soon!"

...Various noisy discussions came from behind.

Some gloated, some felt regret, some mocked... The myriad aspects of life, all present!

Li Xiangyun's expression was indifferent; he clearly no longer cared.

After all, they thought they were far enough away that Li Xiangyun couldn't hear.

But in reality, the power of a Golden Core True Person's Divine Sense far exceeded their imagination.

What seemed like a safe distance was no different from being right next to them for Li Xiangyun.

However, since they weren't discussing it to his face, Li Xiangyun saw no need to bother with them.

Just then, a spirited young man approached, bowing respectfully and saying, "Elder Li, the Sect Master has summoned you."

"Let's go!"

Li Xiangyun nodded, took the lead, and walked ahead.

The young man followed closely behind.