The time Jia Ren took to achieve Golden Elixir Perfection was much shorter than expected. This was thanks to a large number of Thousand-Year Spiritual Medicines from the Ancient Medicine Garden. The Technique-Nearing-Dao Level Jade Sea Lingluo Pill, combined with aged Spiritual Medicines, doubled the efficacy of the Elixir, increasing the speed of Cultivation Level advancement tremendously.

The Golden Core Stage was just the beginning, with a lifespan limit of five hundred years. Once one reached the Nascent Soul Stage, the lifespan extended beyond a thousand. Such a realm within the Sealed Land was akin to being an Earthly Immortal.

"It's time to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage!"

Advancing from the Golden Core to the Nascent Soul Stage was seen as a chasm in the heavens. Failure to break through left few survivors. Before the breakthrough, preparations had to be made, such as finding a Spirit Land rich in nature's spiritual energy to ensure an uninterrupted ascension to the Nascent Soul.

The Mountain and Sea Pearl was the perfect place for ascension. Over thirty Spirit Veins exuded dense nature's spiritual energy without ceasing. Most of the Spirit Veins were of First Order. However, their sheer number made the richness of nature's spiritual energy sufficient even for breaking through to the Divinity Transformation Stage from the Nascent Soul Stage. Few places could compare, aside from a Blessed Land of Cave Heavens. Since the Mountain and Sea Pearl was not connected to the outside world, it eliminated external factors to the greatest extent, making it the best place for a realm breakthrough. With the combination of the Eighteen Pattern Infant Breaking Pill and the Xuanling Cha Infant Secret Array, the chance of ascending to the Nascent Soul was nearly guaranteed. The only concern was external threats.

"Postpone the departure and protect me during my advancement," Jia Ren instructed his Insect External Incarnation, preparing to seclude himself and break through to the Nascent Soul Stage. The ascension to the Nascent Soul Stage was critical and could not afford any mistakes. Out of caution, the Insect External Incarnation stopped its journey to guard him, ensuring that external factors would not cause a failure in the ascension. The plan to leave with the Far East Commerce Association had to be set aside.

The Insect External Incarnation rented a Cave in Giant Marsh Market for two years and began setting up a Formation in the Cave. His original body's breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage would take considerable time. The Insect External Incarnation, therefore, needed to enter the Mountain and Sea Pearl to protect his master and ensure the Formation in the Cave could provide an early warning in case of trouble. After finishing all preparations, the Insect External Incarnation shrank back into the Mountain and Sea Pearl.

Jia Ren was also busy with the Formation, setting up the Xuanling Cha Infant Secret Array. This Formation was specifically prepared for breaking through to the Nascent Soul Stage. It could increase the rate of forming the Nascent Soul by twenty to thirty percent and had miraculous effects on condensing it.

There were three major challenges in the Nascent Soul Stage: the first was shattering the core. To break the Golden Core meant to stand up only after falling. This phase was extremely perilous; once the Golden Core shattered, there was no turning back. This was why Golden Core Cultivators often died on their path to the Nascent Soul Stage—they perished along with their path. To shatter the core meant facing death and seeking life thereafter. Without courage and confidence, the Golden Core Stage would be the limit.

The second hurdle was forming the Nascent Soul from the broken core. The challenge of forming the Nascent Soul lay in the condensation. If one could not condense the Nascent Soul, they would age and die as their lifespan ran out.

The last challenge was the Heart Demon Pass, which every cultivator faced during a realm breakthrough. If one's mental fortitude was insufficient to withstand the invasion of internal and external Heart Demons, they could not ascend to the Nascent Soul Stage.

Jia Ren was already thoroughly familiar with the Xuanling Cha Infant Secret Array, so setting it up was not a problem. He knew of two versions: the standard one, and a deceptive version used by the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre to ensnare cultivators. His main body, not wanting to take unnecessary risks, set up the genuine Xuanling Cha Infant Secret Array. As for using a version to lure the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre, he decided that could wait until his Insect External Incarnation was ready to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage.

One after another, pre-forged Array Plates flew out, and Formation Flags were placed in their corresponding positions. The only downside of the Xuanling Cha Infant Secret Array was its consumption of Spirit Stones—three hundred and sixty Superior Grade Spirit Stones were a considerable expense even for a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator.

"Activate!"

The Formation sprang to life, and a massive amount of pure Spiritual Power surged continuously, forming a visible white mist of Spiritual Energy. The Spiritual Energy released from the Superior Grade Spirit Stones was extremely pure, much more so than that from the Spirit Veins. With such high-quality Spiritual Power that had almost no impurities, converting it into any type of Spiritual Power was easy.

One Superior Grade Spirit Stone was equivalent to ten thousand regular Spirit Stones. Using it to restore Spiritual Power was incredibly luxurious, but it was extremely versatile for setting up Formations, powering automatons, and much more. Cultivators didn't typically use Spirit Stones for cultivation. This wasn't because Spirit Stones were useless, but because an equivalent value in Elixirs could increase one's Cultivation Level significantly more.

The Cultivation Room was so filled with Spiritual Energy that one could not see their own hands. Combined with the Spiritual Energy from the thirty-odd Spirit Veins, the energy condensed into Spiritual Liquid. Under the Xuanling Cha Infant Secret Array, the Spiritual Energy didn't gather into Spiritual Liquid as usual but sketched an illusory infant figure in mid-air.

Once Jia Ren confirmed that everything was ready, he sat cross-legged, adjusting his state. With the support of the Break Infant Pill and the Xuanling Cha Infant Secret Array, he dared not be the slightest bit careless. Three days later, his spirit and condition peaked.

Jia Ren took out the Heavenly Spirit Jade Vase with inscribed prohibitions, and a Break Infant Pill with eighteen Elixir Patterns fell into his palm. The waxed outer garment tore open, and the rich aroma of the Elixir filled the room, fragrance permeating every inch of the space.

The Break Infant Pill entered his stomach, and the potent medicinal power unfolded, coursing through every corner of his body. His meridians, Dantian, Sea of Consciousness, and limbs were all covered by a golden membrane, safeguarding his entire body without any dead angles. The Golden Core malfunctioned as if it were shackled by an invisible lock.

"Shatter the core!"

Jia Ren's eyes were resolute as he decisively shattered his Golden Core.

Without destruction, there can be no construction; one must stand up after falling!

In battle, when Golden Core Cultivators shattered their cores, it resulted in self-destruction, and many Golden Core Cultivators used this method to perish with their enemies. Shattering the core to form the Nascent Soul carried the same risks. If the Golden Core shattered too quickly, the cultivator's body would be destroyed in an instant. The Golden Core was the foundation of a cultivator's Spiritual Energy. Without it to contain the energy, the rampant Spiritual Power would burst forth, destroying everything in its path.

After Jia Ren's Golden Core shattered, the Spiritual Power didn't rage as expected. It was as if the playback of a video had slowed from ten times speed to normal speed. It was as though the Golden Core had a "time-release" effect, slowing down the rate of disintegration, which could effectively prevent the shock caused to the Dantian and body.

The golden film formed by the Break Infant Pill inside the body was the second layer of the barrier, reducing the impact the shattered core had on the Dantian and meridians. Double protection, maximizing the reduction of damage caused by the shattering of the core.

The Golden Core shattered, and a spark of light blossomed amidst its remnants. The light of Spiritual Nature became the new source, absorbing the pure Spiritual Power from the transformed Golden Core, gradually nurturing and growing stronger. The special spiritual power transformed by the Xuanling Cha Infant Secret Array was absorbed into the body. This multiplied the growth speed of the light, which gradually took on an infant's form. The infant's appearance was ninety percent similar to Jia Ren as it absorbed more and more Spiritual Power, growing bit by bit.

When the infant grew to three inches, the soul took residence, and the Nascent Soul seemed to come to life, "breathing." The first breath was the embryonic breath. The embryonic breath made contact with the Golden Core Fire; the flames aided the combustion, transitioning towards the Infant Flame.

The formation of the Nascent Soul was smooth; the breakthrough was orderly and meticulous, without any errors. Seeing his original body encountered no issues, the Insect External Incarnation entered meditation to cultivate, seizing the hard-earned time to practice.

「Time flew by swiftly, and before one knew it, a year and a half had passed.」

The Insect External Incarnation in seclusion suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze lively and spirited. His original body was still progressing in ascending to the Nascent Soul Stage. There were no accidents with the breakthrough, but someone had triggered the Formation outside the secluded Cave.

The Insect External Incarnation frowned; the rent for the Cave was paid for two years, far from reaching the time for renewal. By all accounts, there should be no disturbances.

The Insect External Incarnation left the Mountain and Sea Pearl and returned to the Cave, only to find someone attacking his Cave.

What had happened to the Giant Marsh Market?!

The Market always forbade cultivators from fighting; who would dare to brazenly attack the Caves rented out by the Market?

Could it be that some significant event had occurred?

The Insect External Incarnation had been guarding the entrance for a year and a half without leaving the Cave, unclear about any recent events. The Heavenly Eye Technique was activated, looking towards the cultivators outside the Formation, only to be stunned.

Three cultivators attacking the Cave's Formation were wearing standardized Taoist Robes, with small black sword patterns embroidered on them. Cultivators from the Seven Fiends Temple! One of the two Divine Transformation Sects that had gone to war.

The Insect External Incarnation had just arrived and had neither made enemies nor flaunted wealth within the Market, so why would the Seven Fiends Temple cultivators attack his Cave? The Insect External Incarnation realized something was amiss and employed the Earth Listening Technique to gather information.

The Market was filled with noise; the outside world in utter chaos. A presence that seemed both cold and powerful continuously made its moves, as one powerful aura after another was extinguished.

Divine Transformation Cultivators?! Did the Seven Fiends Temple make a move on the Giant Marsh Market?!

If he were to act against the Seven Fiends Temple cultivators outside, it would only attract trouble and draw the attention of Divine Transformation Cultivators. He did not wish to be caught in the whirlpool of war.

"Yaksha!"

A Yaksha was summoned, and the Earth Escape Technique allowed for continuous descent, hiding deep underground. A piece of black cloth that concealed aura and perception fell over the Mountain and Sea Pearl, hiding the treasure's presence. After completing everything, the Insect External Incarnation left behind an inconspicuous little insect before finally escaping into the Mountain and Sea Pearl.

Outside the Cave, the three Seven Fiends Temple cultivators were still attacking, and by their side, a little white mouse was squeaking excitedly. This mouse was completely white, with much of its fur fallen out, giving the impression of old age. Its eyes were unique, seemingly possessing double pupils.

This was a Treasure-seeking Mouse, a creature born with the ability to find treasures. Relying on the Treasure-seeking Mouse, Xu Mao had found many treasures and made several fortunes. The Seven Fiends Temple was attacking any Market found to have secret ties with the Black Water Palace. Xu Mao had joined his Sect on this campaign, hoping to capitalize on the war and make a fortune. The Treasure-seeking Mouse had just entered the Market when it discovered something new.

Xu Mao had never seen the Treasure-seeking Mouse so excited before; it must have found a significant treasure! The Treasure-seeking Mouse led the way to this Cave.

Xu Mao alone couldn't break the Formation, so he had asked two familiar fellow Sect members to help break it, so they could share the spoils. The three Golden Core Cultivators worked together, spending half a day to finally break the Formation of this place. The Formation was strong; the treasures hidden inside the Cave were definitely not bad.

The Cave was covered in dust, clearly uninhabited for at least a year.

"Where is the treasure?"

The other two turned the Cave upside down without finding any treasure and swiftly fixed their gaze on Xu Mao and the Treasure-seeking Mouse. Xu Mao looked towards the Treasure-seeking Mouse, only to find it had become lethargic, no longer as excited as before.

Did the Treasure-seeking Mouse have a glitch?

In past encounters with treasures, it had never made a mistake...

"We should never have trusted your Treasure-seeking Mouse."

"An impure-blooded creature, a waste of time!"

The three searched the Cave without finding any treasure. They left with frustrated faces.

Treasure-seeking Mouse?!

In a spot unseen by the others, a tiny ant-like insect lay in place. The Insect External Incarnation used the Parasitic Spirit Mark to hear everything they said.

Unexpectedly, he had encountered such a rare creature. Was this a congratulatory gift prepared for my breakthrough in advance?!

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