169: Chapter 169 Seclusion for Nascent Soul Formation: A Storm is Brewing

Tang Xun counted the days; he had been stuck at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation Stage for nearly five years.

One hundred and fifty years old.

In these five years, Shenfu Mountain's development had advanced by leaps and bounds, and those four little rascals had already achieved Qi Induction, officially stepping onto the immortal path.

Zhou Tiezhu's Metal Spiritual Root was incomparably overbearing. After cultivating the "Ten Thousand Blade Golden Body Art," his entire person was like an unsheathed sword, radiating sharp brilliance.

Su He's Wood Spiritual Root was full of vitality, and her affinity for spiritual plants was terrifyingly high; the herb garden on the back mountain had almost become her exclusive back garden.

Chen Chen remained reticent, but his Water Spiritual Root made his temperament increasingly calm. After cultivating the "Mystic Dark Returning to Origin Scripture," his aura became distant and long-lasting.

The one who surprised Tang Xun the most was Zhou Waner.

That girl's Mutated Lightning Spiritual Root was simply a troublemaker. On the first day of cultivating the "Nine Heavens Yinglong Thunder Art," she struck her own courtyard with lightning.

If Tang Xun hadn't placed a Restriction around her courtyard in advance, she would have blown up half the mountain peak.

Everything was flourishing and in perfect order.

Tang Xun looked inside his Dantian; that multicolored Golden Core had reached its limit. The core patterns on its surface were dense, leaving almost no gaps, and its rotation speed had slowed to the extreme, as if it could stop at any moment.

This was a sign that the core was about to shatter.

"I can't wait any longer."

Tang Xun made a decision in his heart.

It was time to charge toward the Nascent Soul Stage.

He walked out of his Immortal Cave, and with a stir of his Divine Thought, Zhang Ruowei, who was handling Sect affairs in the main peak's hall, received his message.

A moment later, Zhang Ruowei's figure appeared outside the Immortal Cave.

"Grand Elder, you were looking for me?"

Wearing the moon-white Sect Head's robes, she appeared steady and capable, her every move carrying the majesty of a Sect's leader.

"Yes." Tang Xun nodded. "I'm going into secluded cultivation for a while to break through the Bottleneck."

Hearing this, joy immediately appeared on Zhang Ruowei's face. "Elder, you're about to have a Breakthrough?"

"That's the plan." Tang Xun's expression was calm. "But this seclusion is of great importance. I need you to do a few things."

"Please give your orders, Elder." Zhang Ruowei immediately pulled back her smile, her expression turning serious.

"First, from today onwards, designate the back mountain as a Forbidden Ground and activate the highest-level Mountain-Protecting Array. No one except you is allowed within a hundred miles of the back mountain. Violators will be executed without mercy."

Zhang Ruowei's heart skipped a beat. She knew that when the Grand Elder spoke of "breaking through the Bottleneck," he likely meant that step.

Shattering the Core to form the Soul!

That was the greatest hurdle on the immortal path. Countless geniuses had fallen under the Heavenly Tribulation of this step.

No wonder he was being so solemn.

"This Disciple understands." She nodded heavily.

"Second, during my seclusion, all Sect affairs will be handled by you with full authority. All Foundation Establishment Stage Disciples are to be recalled to the mountain gate to take turns on guard duty; none are to leave."

"Third, contract all external business for now. Divine Talisman Workshop can operate normally, but the Talisman trade with Qianbao Pavilion is suspended. Tell them we will talk after I emerge from seclusion."

Tang Xun gave his orders one by one, organized and meticulous.

Although he had confidence in himself...

...even a lion uses its full strength when hunting a rabbit.

"This Disciple has noted it all down." Zhang Ruowei etched his words into her heart. "Elder, please... please be extra careful."

There was a hint of hard-to-conceal worry in her voice.

Tang Xun glanced at her and gave a rare smile.

"Don't worry, I haven't lived long enough yet."

He turned and walked into the depths of the Immortal Cave behind him. The heavy stone door slowly closed.

Zhang Ruowei stood outside the Immortal Cave for a long time before turning to leave, her eyes filled with determination.

The Grand Elder had entrusted the entire Sect to her; she must not let him down.

At the same time Tang Xun went into seclusion...

...far to the northwest of the Central Continent, at the headquarters of the Youming Sect, inside a hall filled with eerie Yin Qi.

A Cultivator dressed in black robes, his face hidden in the shadow of a hood, was looking at a piece of intelligence that had just arrived.

The black-robed Cultivator let out a raspy chuckle, the sound like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together.

"Have you found out his background?" he asked without looking up.

A ghostly figure emerged behind him, kneeling on one knee. "Reporting to Elder Ghost Shadow, this person's name is Wang Debiao. He has a Core Formation Stage cultivation and an unknown origin. He suddenly appeared in Qingzhou about twenty years ago, and his Talisman techniques are superb."

"Wang Debiao?" Elder Ghost Shadow sneered. "Such a fake name only fools those idiots of the Righteous Path."

"Elder, our latest news is that this person has begun secluded cultivation, seemingly preparing to charge for the Nascent Soul."

"Oh?"

Elder Ghost Shadow finally raised his head. His eyes beneath the hood flickered with two points of eerie green light, like a wolf in the dark night.

"Charging for the Nascent Soul... this is a golden opportunity."

He licked his dry lips, his tone filled with greed.

"The essence blood and Divine Soul of a Body Refiner are great tonics. Not to mention, he also possesses a Talisman Crafting Legacy comparable to the Wanfa Immortal Sect."

"Pass down my order; I will personally go to Qingzhou."

"When he undergoes tribulation, he will be at his weakest. At that time, I will not only take his life, but the entire Shenfu Mountain will be in the bag of my Youming Sect."

"A hen that lays golden eggs must not fall into the hands of those hypocrites from the Wanfa Immortal Sect."

Elder Ghost Shadow stood up, his powerful Nascent Soul Middle Stage aura flashing for an instant. The temperature of the entire hall seemed to drop by several degrees.

He turned into a plume of black smoke and vanished silently from the spot.

A massive conspiracy against Shenfu Mountain had quietly begun.

At this moment, Tang Xun was still completely unaware.

He sat cross-legged in the center of the secluded room, surrounded by High-Grade Spirit Stones. The dense Spiritual Qi almost turned into a tangible white mist, enveloping his entire body.

His mind had completely sunk into his Dantian, beginning to gather strength for that final leap.