Golden Core is the only core where the essence, qi, and spirit of a cultivator on the Golden Core Dao fuse together; it is also the fundamental basis of all their cultivation. For many cultivators, the Golden Core is the most crucial thing, far more important than their physical bodies.
After all, even if the physical body is damaged, as long as the Golden Core remains intact, one can still recondense it at a high cost. However, if the Golden Core is damaged, it can lead to severe injury and decline in cultivation at best, and at worst, to death and the complete dissipation of their Dao.
Therefore, even if a cultivator has condensed a Golden Core, they cannot allow others to easily inspect it, to protect their own secrets.
Now, with Pang Hong releasing his Golden Core without any reservations, it shows the level of respect and trust he has for Pei Xuanjing.
Of course, what shocked Pei Xuanjing wasn't something else but the unusual aspect of Pang Hong's Golden Core that he had spoken about just moments earlier.
An intangible, ever-rotating Golden Core is very normal, but in addition to the strands of immortal aura surrounding this Golden Core, there is also the power of thunderbolt circling it, as if this thunderbolt had completely merged with the Golden Core.
"Is this… the power of Innate Divine Thunder?" Pei Xuanjing felt an oddly familiar sensation from the thunderbolt's power, and asked with some uncertainty.
The Shenxiao Sect was an expert in the Thunder Path, and after Pei Xuanjing pioneered the Longevity World, he too had experienced Innate Divine Thunder during the process of Opening the Heavens and Splitting the Earth and had refined a strand of Innate Divine Thunder, naming it Nine Heavens Divine Thunder.
Feeling the power of the thunderbolt upon Pang Hong's Golden Core, he recognized a familiar sensation, although it was different from the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder he controlled, the essence of Innate Divine Thunder could not be concealed.
However, with the expansion of the Longevity World, Innate Divine Thunder had already dispersed into the forces of Heaven and Earth, and even Pei Xuanjing, as the pioneer of the world, might not be able to capture Innate Divine Thunder again.
Now that Pang Hong had integrated a strand of Innate Divine Thunder power into his Golden Core, it indeed surprised Pei Xuanjing very much.
"This is the result of an unintentional encounter during my Thunder Tribulation…" Pang Hong recounted his experience in detail.
According to him, his Golden Core was initially quite normal, but during his Thunder Tribulation, he used some of the Shenxiao Sect's Thunder Methods to counter the forces of thunderbolt, thus inadvertently infusing a thunderbolt force into his body. Subsequently, it merged with the Golden Core, resulting in this situation.
Moreover, after this thunderbolt force entered his body, not only did it cause him no harm, but it also continued to refine his Golden Core, speeding up its condensation and even starting to slowly remedy the imperfections resulting from using Pei Xuanjing's immortal aura during their initial formation…
"So it could be said that the transformative power of thunderbolt might be one way to compensate for the shortcuts in the Golden Core's formation?" Pei Xuanjing couldn't help but think to himself.
Originally he was somewhat concerned that his own intervention in helping Pang Hong condense a Golden Core with immortal aura might lead to an unstable foundation and future cultivation obstacles.
But now, Pei Xuanjing couldn't help but entertain some other ideas, especially if Pang Hong's serendipitous use of Thunder Methods to counteract the imperfections in the Golden Core wasn't just a fluke. It suggested that the potential of the Golden Core Dao might exceed his current understanding.
"Perhaps, besides my most traditional type of Golden Core, it's also possible to condense Golden Cores with unique attributes. Although such Golden Cores may not be as pure as mine, their uniqueness could give a substantial boost to one's cultivation in a certain Taoist Skill," Pei Xuanjing thought.
He reflected on past life knowledge, where Golden Cores were differentiated into various types, each corresponding to different Taoist Skill attributes. If his own Golden Core was considered the most pure and accommodating, then there should be other types of Golden Cores that correspond to the Five Elements, Wind and Thunder, and other attribute Taoist Skills.
"If the mutation of a Golden Core or, say, the attributes of a Golden Core, are not uniform, then there could be another possibility—different attributes of Golden Cores could carry completely different effects," Pei Xuanjing speculated in his heart.
Pei Xuanjing's own Golden Core encompassed many things, so he had believed that all Golden Cores contained these elements, but now Pang Hong's Golden Core showed Pei Xuanjing many differences.
Moreover, if such a conjecture proved true, it would also mean that the conditions required to condense a Golden Core would be fewer and the threshold correspondingly lowered.
Although the Golden Core Dao is powerful, not everyone can cultivate it, or to be precise, the barrier to entry is high. Even now, despite Pei Xuanjing creating a Dao from scratch and proving its viability, and even formulating a systematic approach, not everyone is capable of pursuing this path, as the implicit barrier has stopped countless individuals.
For Pei Xuanjing, this is not a desirable situation because what he wants is to propagate and glorify the Golden Core Dao, to give more cultivators more options.
If the Golden Core Dao becomes an elitist cultivation method, losing its universality, then it would somewhat contradict Pei Xuanjing's original intention.
Pang Hong's experience has given Pei Xuanjing some inspiration and ideas, making him wonder if he had overlooked something, perhaps treating the Golden Core as a tool and not something every cultivator must perfect. They may not need to encompass too much, but to specialize in their own systems, and perhaps this could open the Golden Core Dao to more cultivators.
"In the coming time, find some disciples within the sect willing to follow the Golden Core Dao from the batch you select. Tell them that their master is willing to assist in condensing their Golden Cores as an experiment," Pei Xuanjing said after some thought to Pang Hong.
With these speculations in mind, Pei Xuanjing immediately had plans to verify them, so he prepared to send Pang Hong back to the Daming World to seek out disciples within the Shenxiao Sect for this experiment.
Similarly, Pei Xuanjing's avatar within the Taoist Academy contacted Qingyang Zi, the vice dean, instructing him to select a group of disciples who had cultivated the Nine Revolutions Divine Sky Skill and to enter the Longevity World for the same experiment.
Even though Pei Xuanjing had previous success in assisting Pang Hong to condense a Golden Core, he still needed to conduct experiments to determine whether it was coincidence or inevitability. He needed more people to help him refine this idea further.
In the Longevity World, Pei Xuanjing had the assurance that even if these individuals failed to condense their Golden Cores, he could prevent them from sustaining significant harm. Whether they succeeded or failed, they would provide many insights to Pei Xuanjing, allowing him to search for the true answers using these cases as references.
The passage of time in the Longevity World was much faster than that of the Daming World, and although Pang Hong had dispersed his original Taoist Foundation Primordial Qi at first, he stored all that Primordial Qi in the items given to him by Pei Xuanjing.
Now that he had successfully condensed his Golden Core, when he absorbed the Primordial Qi that originated from the same source, there was no rejection at all, for it was originally his own.
Of course, even if Pang Hong completely absorbed the originally stored Primordial Qi, the Primordial Qi in his body was still much less than before, even less than one-third of the original amount.
Because he had thought his Primordial Qi was refined to the utmost, once he condensed his Golden Core and absorbed this Primordial Qi again, with the intangible Golden Core and the power of the Innate Divine Thunder, the Primordial Qi was refined once more, becoming purer and more potent, and was compressed to less than one-third of its original size.
"I indeed didn't make the wrong choice!" Pang Hong, feeling the powerful force within him, muttered to himself.
Even if the Primordial Qi inside him was less than one-third of what it originally was, Pang Hong could clearly feel his power had increased, far more than double what it was originally.
"Now there are no more shortcuts for you; you need to painstakingly polish, absorb, and purify your own Primordial Qi," Pei Xuanjing looked at his disciple and advised, "And with your power increasing so rapidly, you also need time to master it before you can truly harness it."
Any cultivator, when their strength surges, needs time to become familiar with their power in order to truly wield it; otherwise, the sudden increase in power would not only fail to enhance them but would also impact their performance, something even Pei Xuanjing had to go through.
However, unlike others, when Pei Xuanjing accepted the power of the Life Simulator, he absorbed and digested a lot of combat experience as well, so there wasn't a significant impact on him after his power increased.
Moreover, this kind of sudden increase in strength is something that most cultivators seldom encounter or might not have the chance to experience in their entire lives.
"Yes, Master. The disciple understands," Pang Hong nodded humbly.
In fact, having experienced such situations several times, when he obtained the inheritance in the Mystical Land of Blessings and went to the Shenxiao Sect's inheritance secret grounds in search of the Shenxiao Sect's legacy, he had already been through this, so even without Pei Xuanjing's admonition, he would have done the same.
"Mhm." Pei Xuanjing nodded in acknowledgment, then signaled, "You've stayed in the Longevity World for too long. It's best you return to the Daming World for now and follow your Master's instructions."
To cultivators, this Small Thousand World created by Pei Xuanjing was undoubtedly a treasure for cultivation. However, for those below the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm, it was fine to stay for a short while, as they could benefit from the Longevity World for cultivation. But if they stayed for too long, that might not be the case.
This world was pioneered by Pei Xuanjing and embodied his understanding of the Dao and Laws, as well as his cognition of Heaven and Earth. But that was Pei Xuanjing's personal Dao and Laws. Those cultivators below the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm who had not yet condensed their own Taoist Foundation would unconsciously be influenced by Pei Xuanjing's Taoist Skill if they stayed too long in the Longevity World. They would inevitably follow Pei Xuanjing's path, a certain outcome.
For those cultivators without hope or ambition, perceiving Pei Xuanjing's Taoist Skill in this place might allow them to condense their Taoist Foundation and step into the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm.
But for any cultivator with their own wild ambitions and aspirations, this was actually not beneficial. After all, this was Pei Xuanjing's Dao; they would be influenced by him and trapped within the confines of Pei Xuanjing's path, unable to walk their own paths.
There are no two identical leaves in the world, nor are there two identical people; even identical twins have significant differences. Each cultivator's understanding of the Taoist Skill is different, even if they practice the same skill taught by the same teacher, ultimately their Dao realizations are distinct.
When a cultivator steps into the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm, they inevitably need to forge their own path to go further.
Blindly following the path of predecessors may allow them to progress rapidly in the early stages, but at a certain Realm, it becomes their greatest shackle, completely binding them.
Therefore, even though Pei Xuanjing knew the Longevity World had an excellent cultivation environment, he wouldn't easily allow some cultivators to enter. After all, the lower their power, the deeper the influence of such a powerful cultivator as Pei Xuanjing would be on them.
Pang Hong obeyed Pei Xuanjing and left the Longevity World to return to the Shenxiao Sect's base.
Upon his return to the Shenxiao Sect, he immediately ordered the middle and upper ranks of the Sect to convene.
In the Shenxiao Sect, Pei Xuanjing's status was unassailably supreme, and as his only direct disciple, specifically designated as the Young Sect Leader, Pang Hong also held a very revered position.
Furthermore, in these years Pei Xuanjing had entrusted all the sect affairs to Pang Hong. The growth of the Shenxiao Sect was due to Pang Hong's tireless efforts, earning the sect's current status. It can be said that apart from a few of Pei Xuanjing's personally recruited old-timers like Yu Zhenzi, no other members of the Shenxiao Sect had the qualification to oppose Pang Hong's words.
Although people like Yu Zhenzi had the qualification, they were not foolish. They were well aware of Pei Xuanjing's trust in and regard for Pang Hong. Adding to that, Pang Hong had a close relationship with them, with his growth in the initial stages supported by Yu Zhenzi and the others. Thus, Pang Hong also highly respected them.
As such, Pang Hong, now subordinate only to Pei Xuanjing in the Shenxiao Sect, wielded immense authority. When he summoned all middle and higher ranks for deliberation, nearly all the cultivators, except those in secluded meditation unable to come, arrived within just a few days.
Of course, Pang Hong treated these people very amicably. After all, his prestige in the Shenxiao Sect at present did not necessitate such measures. After they arrived, Pang Hong directly announced two matters.
The first matter was that he had successfully cultivated the Nine Revolutions Divine Sky Skill and condensed a Golden Core, embarking on the Golden Core Dao.
The second matter was his Master's intention to select cultivators from the Shenxiao Sect who were willing to embark on the Golden Core Dao, with Pei Xuanjing personally protecting and aiding their conversion.
Given the current influence of the Shenxiao Sect, these middle and upper-rank cultivators, even if placed in the realm of Heaven and Earth, held extraordinary status, and few things moved them. Yet when they truly heard of the two matters, these middle and upper echelons were utterly shocked.
Shenxiao Sect, although originating from a local force in the Great Ming World, still stood head and shoulders above the rest and was renowned throughout both the Great Ming World and the Sky Wasteland, thanks to the presence of Pei Xuanjing, a Supreme Strong.
These middle and high-ranking cultivators of Shenxiao Sect, although somewhat weaker in power, were not afraid when compared to the cultivators from other top forces.
When Pang Hong issued the summoning order, these cultivators originally thought that Shenxiao Sect had encountered some issue, which was why their presence was needed for a collective discussion.
While the cultivators were somewhat surprised by the first issue raised by Pang Hong, most of them knew that Pang Hong had been attempting to switch to practicing the Nine Revolutions Divine Sky Skill over the years, aiming to congeal a Golden Core and embark on the Golden Core Dao.
Over the years, Pang Hong's attempts had almost become an obsession, even hindering his cultivation progress, and many elders of the sect had tried to persuade him to no avail.
Therefore, upon hearing that Pang Hong had succeeded in his cultivation, apart from a hint of surprise, most of them were happy, since Pang Hong had finally let go of his obsession.
However, upon hearing the second matter, the cultivators were immediately abuzz with excitement, unable to hide the shock in their hearts.
It was widely known that Pei Xuanjing, a Supreme Strong, was the sky of Shenxiao Sect; he had singlehandedly propped up Shenxiao Sect and elevated it to its current status. In the hearts of all the cultivators of Shenxiao Sect, he was almost an invincible figure.
However, as Pei Xuanjing's power grew stronger, even the middle and high-ranking cultivators of Shenxiao Sect barely had the chance to meet him. Apart from occasionally listening to some sermons by Pei Xuanjing's avatars, they never got the chance to see Pei Xuanjing himself.
After Pei Xuanjing first developed the Nine Revolutions Divine Sky Skill, many cultivators wanted to please him and practiced this skill in hopes of gaining his favor and appreciation.
Unfortunately, the difficulty of the Nine Revolutions Divine Sky Skill stumped many people and their plans fell through. The initial craze for practicing the Nine Revolutions Divine Sky Skill quickly faded, with only a small number of people persisting.
Now, hearing that Pei Xuanjing was willing to help them congeal Golden Cores, and seeing that Pang Hong had already succeeded in his cultivation, they immediately understood that Pang Hong's success was not due to his own efforts, but was aided by Pei Xuanjing.
Therefore, after Pang Hong put forward this matter, the cultivators immediately and decisively supported it without any hesitation.
It must be known that although Pang Hong said that Pei Xuanjing's move was just an attempt, these cultivators did not take it as a trivial matter.
Pei Xuanjing was the most powerful individual in Shenxiao Sect, and it was because of him that Shenxiao Sect existed. Apart from his unparalleled combat strength, he was also the most famous figure on the Golden Core Dao, and though hardly anyone had succeeded in practicing it, there was no doubt that he was regarded by cultivators Between Heaven and Earth as the trailblazer of the Golden Core Dao cultivation system.
If previously only Pei Xuanjing practiced the Golden Core Dao in the entire Shenxiao Sect because others were limited by their talents, then that would be fine, after all, Pei Xuanjing's extraordinary talent was well-known.
But now that Pei Xuanjing could help others congeal Golden Cores, the significance was completely different.
With one person in Shenxiao Sect now practicing the Golden Core Dao, there would be a second, a third, and the number would grow.
And as more people practice the Golden Core Dao, the Golden Core Dao will become the mainstream within Shenxiao Sect, and those who do not practice the Golden Core Dao will become a minority and seen as aberrations.
What is liked above will be echoed below, and as the trailblazer of the Golden Core Daos who has reached its pinnacle, how could the disciples of Shenxiao Sect not want to follow the footsteps of the Supreme Strong? Under such circumstances, one day the disciples of Shenxiao Sect will walk through Heaven and Earth, and how will others view those who have not congealed a Golden Core?
Moreover, there is also the issue of the legitimate and illegitimate dispute between Shenxiao Sect and Taoist Academy, both of which consider themselves to be the direct Orthodox of Pei Xuanjing, a Supreme Strong. However, in fact, neither can convince the other, as no one can currently inherit the Golden Core Dao, one of Pei Xuanjing's primary Dao.
Now, with the opportunity to switch to the Golden Core Dao right in front of them, if the disciples of Shenxiao Sect fail to seize it while the Taoist Academy's disciples take hold, then how could the disciples of Shenxiao Sect have the audacity to regard themselves as the legitimate inheritors of Pei Xuanjing?
The dispute over the legitimacy of the teaching seems superficially calm, but in fact, it is the most vicious battle of hidden swords and secret daggers. Whether it is Taoist Academy or Shenxiao Sect that is Pei Xuanjing's direct Orthodox is a minor matter to Pei Xuanjing himself, but it is of paramount importance to the cultivators of Shenxiao Sect and the disciples of Taoist Academy, who dare not take it lightly.
Therefore, when Pang Hong conveyed the will of Pei Xuanjing, it immediately ignited a tide within Shenxiao Sect. They all actively and eagerly signed up for the selection, hoping to seize this chance, defy the heavens, change fate, and leap over the dragon gate like a carp riding the wind.
Because of Pang Hong's message, the disciples of Shenxiao Sect competed for the spots to switch their cultivation, resulting in countless cultivators emerging from seclusion—even if it meant stagnating their own Realm cultivation, they were willing to take the risk.
At the same time, a similar scene was playing out within the Taoist Academy, even more intense due to a greater number of disciples, causing the competitive wave to be many times larger.
Upon receiving the message from Pei Xuanjing while still temporarily staying at the Taoist Academy, Qingyang Zi immediately understood in his heart that the task seemed simple but was actually not easy, or rather, quite troublesome.
There were too many disciples in the Taoist Academy. Over the years, the Taoist Academy had deeply integrated into every city of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty. With the continuous recovery of Heaven and Earth Essence Qi, the threshold for entering the Spirit Realm was no longer a significant obstacle. Qingyang Zi didn't make a deliberate tally, but he could estimate that nearly thirty percent of the Spirit Realm cultivators who advanced each year in the Great Ming Divine Dynasty came from the Taoist Academy or had cultivated there.
This was already a terrifying figure. It should be noted that the Great Ming Divine Dynasty itself only accounted for about forty percent, with the remaining thirty percent divided among wandering martial artists and various other forces.
With such a vast proportion, one can see how deep the roots of the Taoist Academy have become, and how immense its influence has grown. If it weren't for the protection of Pei Xuanjing and the Taoist Academy's policy of not participating in the strife between forces and allowing its disciples to join any forces, it would have been eradicated by the combined efforts of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty and other forces long ago.
Nevertheless, Qingyang Zi had distinctly felt over the years that the existence of the Taoist Academy was drawing the apprehension of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty and various other forces. They began to jointly and covertly suppress the further growth of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty.
The Great Ming Divine Dynasty and many forces had either imitated or outright copied many of the Taoist Academy's rules to establish their own schools to cultivate reserves of talents.