The morning after Axel's Core Formation breakthrough, Elder Shen made an unexpected announcement.
"You'll remain in seclusion for seven days," the Formation Master stated firmly, blocking the isolation chamber's exit with a spatial formation. "Core Formation transformation requires stabilization time. Your body, mind, and spirit all need to adapt to operating with a Golden Core. Rushing back into sect activities before that adaptation completes is asking for cultivation deviation."
"But I have the summons from Supreme Elder Jiang," Axel objected. "Tomorrow morning at Supreme Peak. Missing that—"
"I've already sent word that you're in cultivation seclusion following a breakthrough. Supreme Elder Jiang will understand—he's been cultivating for over a thousand years. He knows better than anyone that proper stabilization takes precedence over political meetings." Elder Shen adjusted the isolation formations. "Seven days. Use them to fully integrate your Golden Core, explore your new capabilities, and prepare mentally for what being a Core Formation cultivator actually means."
Axel wanted to argue, but Elder Shen's logic was sound. The Golden Core pulsing in his dantian was still adjusting its output, occasionally surging with power that made his meridians ache. His spiritual senses, now extending nearly fifty miles, were overwhelming—perceiving every Qi signature, every formation array, every spiritual fluctuation within that massive range created a constant sensory barrage that required conscious filtering.
And the spatial manipulation capabilities were the most disorienting of all. Axel could now perceive dimensional structure directly, seeing how space folded and bent around formations, how distance was actually relative rather than absolute, how reality itself was more flexible than mortal perception suggested.
"Seven days," he agreed reluctantly. "But I need to at least send word to Liu Feng. He'll worry if I just disappear."
"Already done. Your roommate knows you're in breakthrough stabilization and will handle any sect responsibilities during your absence." Elder Shen produced several jade slips. "These contain Core Formation cultivation methods—how to properly circulate Golden Core energy, techniques for controlling your enhanced spiritual senses, and exercises to help integrate your spatial manipulation abilities. Study them. Practice them. Master your new capabilities before you try using them in the real world."
The Formation Master departed, sealing the isolation chamber behind him. Axel was alone with his transformed cultivation and seven days to figure out how to control it.
He spent the first day just observing. Sitting in meditation, Axel explored the Golden Core's structure with his inner vision. The Hongmeng variant was remarkably complex—where normal Golden Cores were essentially spheres of compressed Qi, his existed in multiple dimensions simultaneously.
In three-dimensional space, it appeared as a perfect golden sphere the size of his fist, hovering at his dantian's center. But his enhanced perception revealed additional structures extending into dimensions most cultivators never accessed—geometric patterns that connected to spatial constants, temporal anchors that linked to universal time flow, even what appeared to be resonance pathways touching realms beyond the Mortal World.
The system interface appeared, apparently triggered by his examination:
[GOLDEN CORE ANALYSIS COMPLETE]
[HONGMENG VARIANT - MYTHICAL GRADE]
[DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE: 7-DIMENSIONAL]
[PRIMARY FUNCTION: INDEPENDENT QI GENERATION]
[SECONDARY FUNCTION: SPATIAL MANIPULATION ENHANCEMENT]
[TERTIARY FUNCTION: BLOODLINE RESONANCE AMPLIFICATION]
[UNIQUE PROPERTIES:]
[CROSS-REALM ENERGY ABSORPTION]
[DIMENSIONAL ANCHOR CAPABILITY]
[TEMPORAL PERCEPTION (PASSIVE)]
[REALITY MANIPULATION (LIMITED)]
[OPTIMIZATION: 67% COMPLETE]
[ESTIMATED FULL MATURATION: 14-21 DAYS]
The Golden Core was still optimizing itself, apparently. Like the Primordial Pillars before it, the Mythical-grade structure continued evolving beyond its initial formation. Within three weeks, it would reach full maturation and unlock capabilities Axel couldn't yet access.
But even at sixty-seven percent optimization, the power was staggering. The Core generated Qi continuously, producing energy at a rate that exceeded what Axel could absorb from ambient sources by a factor of ten. His cultivation speed had effectively increased tenfold overnight simply by having a functioning Golden Core.
The second day focused on circulation techniques. Core Formation cultivators didn't just draw in external Qi—they generated it internally, circulated it through enhanced meridian systems, and used it to reinforce their physical and spiritual bodies continuously.
Axel practiced the methods from Elder Shen's jade slips, learning to direct his Golden Core's output efficiently. The process was more complex than Foundation Establishment circulation—instead of simple loops through major meridians, Core Formation cultivation involved intricate patterns that touched every meridian simultaneously, creating a comprehensive energy network that strengthened his entire body uniformly.
By the evening of the second day, Axel had achieved basic competency. His Golden Core's energy flowed smoothly through his meridian system, reinforcing his physical body to the point where even casual movements generated spiritual pressure that weaker cultivators would find oppressive.
The third day brought new challenges. Axel attempted to practice combat techniques and immediately discovered problems. His Qi Strike, executed with Core Formation power, created a crater in the isolation chamber's reinforced floor despite the protective formations. His movement techniques accelerated him so quickly he crashed into the wall before he could stop.
Everything was more powerful, faster, harder to control than Foundation Establishment capabilities had been.
"This is like learning to walk again," Axel muttered, picking himself up after his fifth collision with solid surfaces. "Except now I'm walking with the strength of ten people and need to relearn how much force actually accomplishes what."
He spent hours practicing basic movements—standing, walking, reaching for objects—until he could perform them without accidentally destroying things or moving faster than intended. The adjustment period was frustrating but necessary. Core Formation power without control was more dangerous than having no power at all.
The fourth day focused on spiritual sense management. Fifty-mile perception range was incredible for reconnaissance, but overwhelming for daily function. Axel learned filtering techniques that let him focus his awareness selectively—perceiving immediate surroundings in detail while reducing distant signatures to background awareness.
The process was similar to how human brains filtered sensory information on Earth. You didn't consciously process every sight, sound, and sensation constantly—your mind selected relevant information and ignored the rest. Spiritual sense filtering worked on similar principles, letting Axel decide what deserved attention versus what could be safely ignored.
By evening of the fourth day, he could maintain comfortable awareness of his immediate environment while keeping distant perception available for threats. Not perfect mastery, but functional competency that would prevent sensory overload during normal activities.
The fifth day brought the most remarkable discovery. Axel was practicing spatial manipulation techniques when he accidentally created something unexpected—a temporary spatial fold that connected two points in the chamber that were actually fifteen feet apart.
He'd intended to compress space slightly, making his movement technique more efficient. Instead, he'd created a genuine spatial shortcut, a dimensional bridge that let him step through one point and emerge from another instantly.
"That's..." Axel stared at the spatial fold, simultaneously excited and alarmed. "That's teleportation. Short-range, unstable teleportation, but still teleportation."
According to everything he'd learned, short-range spatial manipulation required Nascent Soul cultivation at minimum. Core Formation cultivators could bend space slightly, compress distance marginally, but actually creating spatial shortcuts shouldn't be possible until several realms higher.
Yet he'd done it. The Hongmeng Golden Core's spatial enhancement apparently provided capabilities that normal Core Formation cultivators never accessed.
Axel spent the rest of the day practicing controlled spatial folding. Each attempt was exhausting—creating even a ten-foot shortcut consumed perhaps twenty percent of his Golden Core's stored energy. But the technique worked, and with practice, the efficiency improved.
By evening, Axel could create fifteen-foot spatial folds with only ten percent energy cost. Still expensive enough that he couldn't use it frequently in combat, but viable for critical moments when normal movement wasn't fast enough.
The system acknowledged the achievement:
[NEW ABILITY DISCOVERED: VOID STEP (BASIC)]
[SHORT-RANGE SPATIAL TELEPORTATION]
[CURRENT RANGE: 15 FEET]
[ENERGY COST: 10% GOLDEN CORE RESERVES]
[COOLDOWN: 5 SECONDS]
[UPGRADE POTENTIAL: HIGH]
[NOTE: ABILITY EXCEEDS NORMAL CORE FORMATION CAPABILITIES]
[BLOODLINE ADVANTAGE CONFIRMED]
The sixth day was dedicated to integration practice. Axel combined all the techniques he'd refined over the previous days—controlled movement, filtered spiritual senses, efficient Qi circulation, and experimental spatial manipulation—into cohesive combat capability.
He fought against training constructs Elder Shen had left in the isolation chamber, formation-powered opponents that adapted to his techniques and forced him to respond dynamically. The constructs weren't as sophisticated as real opponents, but they provided valuable practice in using Core Formation abilities under pressure.
The difference from Foundation Establishment combat was dramatic. Axel's strikes hit with enough force to shatter stone. His defensive techniques created spatial distortions that made attacks veer off course without him even needing to redirect them manually. And the Void Step ability, used strategically, let him appear behind opponents before they could react to his initial position.
"This is what Core Formation means," Axel realized as he disabled another training construct with a precisely placed strike. "Not just being stronger—being qualitatively different. Operating on principles that lower cultivators can't even perceive."
The seventh day brought a surprise visitor. Elder Shen entered the isolation chamber carrying multiple jade slips and what appeared to be official sect documents.
"Your stabilization period is technically complete," the Formation Master announced. "Though I'd recommend another few days if you weren't already causing political complications by being absent."
"What complications?" Axel asked, concerned.
"First, Supreme Elder Jiang has become... insistent about meeting you. He's sent three additional summons, each more emphatic than the last. Apparently he's extremely interested in a disciple who achieved Core Formation after one month in the sect."
"I can explain that it was the celestial alignment—"
"He knows about the alignment. That's not what interests him." Elder Shen set down the jade slips. "He wants to know how you reached Peak Foundation Establishment fast enough to take advantage of the alignment in the first place. Most disciples take years to progress from Early to Peak, even with optimal resources."
That was more difficult to explain without revealing the Hongmeng Bloodline and Mythical-grade foundation. "My cultivation method is unusually efficient?"
"Understatement. But that brings us to complication number two—your third-rank position in the monthly evaluation has been contested. Several disciples are claiming you should be disqualified because you achieved Core Formation between the evaluation and the official ranking announcement."
"That doesn't make sense. I was Foundation Establishment Peak during the evaluation. The breakthrough happened afterward."
"Technically true, but there's precedent for disqualifying cultivators who breakthrough to new realms during evaluation cycles. The argument is that your Core Formation power gives you unfair advantage in maintaining your ranking." Elder Shen's expression suggested he found this argument ridiculous. "It's political maneuvering, obviously. Disciples who were ranked fourth through sixth want your position and are using bureaucratic excuses to challenge it."
"What happens if they succeed?"
"You'd drop to unranked status and need to challenge your way back up through the Core Formation rankings, which are separate from Foundation Establishment rankings. Time-consuming and politically complicated." Elder Shen handed him the official documents. "However, I've filed a formal protest citing celestial alignment as extraordinary circumstances. The Ranking Committee will deliberate and announce their decision within three days."
"Complication number three?" Axel asked, sensing there was more.
"The Heavenly Ascension Trial selection process has been moved forward by two months. Instead of four months from now, it's happening in two months. All top-ranked disciples need to begin preparation immediately." Elder Shen's tone became more serious. "And as a Core Formation cultivator who was ranked third in the last evaluation, you're now automatically qualified regardless of what the Committee decides about your contested position."
That was actually good news, though the accelerated timeline was concerning. "Why was it moved forward?"
"The secret realm that hosts the trial is opening earlier than expected due to some kind of spatial disturbance. The sect leadership decided to take advantage of the early opening rather than wait for the original schedule." Elder Shen produced another jade slip. "This contains information about the trial—what it tests, what resources are available inside, what dangers to expect. Study it thoroughly. The trial has a twenty percent mortality rate even for well-prepared disciples."
Axel accepted the slip, noting its weight both physical and metaphorical. Twenty percent mortality meant one in five participants died. The Heavenly Ascension Trial was apparently far more dangerous than any sect evaluation or ranked challenge.
"When do I meet with Supreme Elder Jiang?" Axel asked.
"Tomorrow morning, as originally scheduled. He's granted you an extension given your breakthrough stabilization, but he won't wait longer." Elder Shen began deactivating the isolation chamber's formations. "Final advice before you re-enter sect politics—be honest with the Supreme Elder but not foolish. He's Ascendant Realm, which means he can perceive truth and deception far better than you can conceal them. Don't lie. But you're not obligated to volunteer information he doesn't ask for directly."
"Understood. Thank you for the guidance, Teacher."
"You're welcome. Now go inform your roommate you're alive. Liu Feng has been pestering me daily for updates."
Axel emerged from the Formation Research Pavilion to find the sect transformed by his absence. Not physically—the buildings and formations remained unchanged. But the spiritual atmosphere felt different, charged with tension that hadn't been present before.
He understood why when he reached the outer disciple areas and overheard conversations:
"—Core Formation at his age is unprecedented—"
"—has to be a special physique or ancient bloodline—"
"—the factions are in chaos trying to figure out how to handle him—"
"—Supreme Elder Jiang personally summoned him, that never happens for disciples below Golden Core—"
Liu Feng practically tackled him when he entered their quarters. "You're alive! And Core Formation! How—when—why didn't you tell me you were attempting breakthrough?!"
"It was sudden," Axel admitted. "The celestial alignment created optimal conditions, Elder Shen provided support, and my intuition indicated it was safer to attempt during alignment than wait for standard conditions."
Right, your cultivation assistance intuition." Liu Feng released him and stepped back to assess his spiritual pressure more carefully. "You feel completely different. Not just stronger—more present, somehow. Like you're occupying more space than your physical body suggests."
"Core Formation spiritual presence," Axel explained. "The Golden Core generates power continuously, which creates constant spiritual pressure that's difficult to suppress completely."
"The sect is going insane about you," Liu Feng said bluntly. "Every faction wants to recruit you. Multiple inner disciples have approached me asking for introduction. Three different elders sent formal requests for meetings. And there are rumors that Supreme Elder Jiang is considering taking you as a direct disciple, which would make you sect royalty basically."
"That seems excessive," Axel objected.
"Excessive? You achieved Core Formation in five weeks. Five weeks, Axel. Most disciples take five to ten years to progress from Foundation Establishment Early to Core Formation. You've done it faster than anyone in sect history by a factor of fifty." Liu Feng pulled out a jade slip. "This is from the Sect Archives. I had to call in favors to access it. The previous record for fastest Core Formation was nine months, set by someone who's now a Golden Core elder and considered a generational prodigy."
Axel read the record with growing unease. Nine months had been the previous record, achieved by a cultivator with exceptional resources, ancient bloodline, and direct instruction from the Sect Master. Axel had done it in five weeks with basic resources, limited instruction, and only his Mythical-grade foundation plus bloodline advantages.
"People are going to think I have access to forbidden techniques or heavenly treasures," Axel realized.
"People already think that," Liu Feng corrected. "The question being debated is whether the sect should try to discover your secrets or just accept that you're exceptional and benefit from your advancement."
"What's the consensus?"
"Divided. Traditionalists want you investigated thoroughly—they don't trust rapid advancement without understanding its source. Modernists want to study your cultivation method to see if it can be replicated or adapted. Pragmatists just want to ensure you're loyal to the sect and not planning to defect to rivals." Liu Feng's expression was grim. "And a small but vocal minority think you're too dangerous and should be eliminated before you become more powerful."
That last group was concerning. "How serious is the elimination faction?"
"Serious enough that Elder Shen has already implemented additional security around you. Notice the formations on our quarters? Those are new—spatial detection arrays that alert him if anyone enters with hostile intent." Liu Feng gestured at barely visible patterns inscribed on the doorframe. "You're under unofficial protection until the political situation stabilizes."
Axel examined the formations Elder Shen had installed. Sophisticated work, layered defenses that would detect, delay, and alert before any threat could reach him. The Formation Master was taking his student's safety seriously.
"What should I do about the elimination faction?" Axel asked.
"Nothing directly. Responding to threats makes you look paranoid or weak. Just continue cultivating, maintain your schedule, and let Elder Shen handle security." Liu Feng paused. "Though I'd recommend varying your routine—don't make yourself predictable. Assassins need patterns to exploit."
The casual discussion of assassination attempts was surreal but necessary. This was the cultivation world, where political disagreements were often resolved through violence when one party became strong enough to act with impunity.
Axel spent the evening reviewing the Heavenly Ascension Trial information Elder Shen had provided. The trial took place in a pocket dimension called the Ascension Realm, a space between the Mortal and Immortal Worlds where spiritual energy was so concentrated that years of normal cultivation could be compressed into months.
Participants entered as teams of five, competing against other sect teams and the realm's native dangers. The trial lasted three months subjective time—though only one month passed in the external world due to temporal dilation—and tested combat ability, survival skills, treasure acquisition, and overall cultivation advancement during the trial period.
The twenty percent mortality rate came primarily from three sources: combat between rival sect teams, encounters with the realm's powerful Qi beasts, and tribulations that manifested when cultivators attempted breakthroughs in the high-energy environment.
"I need a team," Axel realized, reading the participation requirements. "Five cultivators, all at Core Formation or Peak Foundation Establishment."
"That's going to be complicated," Liu Feng observed. "You're Core Formation, but you don't have existing relationships with other Core Formation disciples. Most of them are inner disciples who've been in the sect for years and already have established teams."
"What about Foundation Establishment Peak disciples who are close to breakthrough? They could potentially reach Core Formation during the trial."
"Possible, but risky. Peak disciples who can't breakthrough during the trial are severe liabilities in an environment where most encounters assume Core Formation baseline." Liu Feng considered. "Your best option is probably to join an existing team that needs a fifth member. Several teams lost members to breakthroughs or transfers—they'd be desperate enough to accept a newcomer, even one as controversial as you."
Axel noted the suggested teams Liu Feng identified, but his attention kept returning to one particular detail in the trial information. The Ascension Realm's concentrated spiritual energy caused tribulations to manifest more frequently and intensely than normal space. Cultivators attempting breakthrough during the trial faced enhanced tribulation difficulty as a trade-off for the accelerated advancement the realm provided.
Most disciples saw this as a significant danger. But Axel's Hongmeng Golden Core had demonstrated unusual tribulation resistance during his Core Formation breakthrough. What if the enhanced tribulations in the Ascension Realm were actually opportunities rather than threats?
The system interface appeared, apparently responding to his thoughts:
[HEAVENLY ASCENSION TRIAL DETECTED]
[ANALYSIS BEGINNING...]
[ASCENSION REALM PROPERTIES: HIGH SPIRITUAL ENERGY DENSITY]
[CULTIVATION ACCELERATION: +400%]
[TRIBULATION FREQUENCY: +200%]
[TRIBULATION DIFFICULTY: +150%]
[ASSESSMENT: HIGHLY FAVORABLE CONDITIONS]
[BLOODLINE ADVANTAGES AMPLIFIED IN HIGH-ENERGY ENVIRONMENTS]
[ESTIMATED ADVANCEMENT DURING TRIAL:]
[CORE FORMATION EARLY → MID: 85% PROBABILITY]
[CORE FORMATION EARLY → LATE: 45% PROBABILITY]
[CORE FORMATION EARLY → PEAK: 15% PROBABILITY]
[RECOMMENDATION: PRIORITIZE TRIAL PARTICIPATION]
[WARNING: POLITICAL COMPLICATIONS LIKELY]
Three months in the Ascension Realm could potentially advance him from Core Formation Early to Peak if conditions were optimal. That was the kind of advancement that normally took years, compressed into a single intensive period.
"I'm definitely participating in the trial," Axel decided.
"Obviously," Liu Feng agreed. "The question is whether you can assemble a team that won't try to kill you for your secrets or abandon you when things get dangerous."
A valid concern. Team cohesion was apparently critical for trial survival, and Axel's controversial status meant finding trustworthy teammates would be challenging.
But that was a problem for tomorrow. Tonight, Axel needed rest and continued stabilization. His Golden Core was still optimizing, his new abilities required more practice, and he had a meeting with an Ascendant Realm cultivator in the morning that could determine his entire future in the sect.
As he settled into meditation, Axel reflected on how dramatically his situation had transformed. Five weeks ago, he'd been an unranked newcomer trying to survive his first days in the sect. Now he was a Core Formation cultivator with contested third-rank status, qualified for the most prestigious trial the sect offered, and important enough that Supreme Elders wanted personal meetings.
The cultivation journey was accelerating beyond anything he'd imagined when this began.
The Primordial Pillars—now transformed into his Hongmeng Golden Core—pulsed steadily at his dantian's center. Eight percent bloodline awakening hummed in the background of his existence. And somewhere in the higher dimensions that Core Formation perception could touch, Axel sensed vast powers watching with interest as he climbed toward realms they occupied.
Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new dangers, new opportunities.
But tonight, Axel simply cultivated and let his Golden Core continue its optimization.
The tribulation had been endured. The transformation was complete.
Now came the test of whether he could navigate the political chaos his advancement had created while continuing to climb toward even higher realms.
The real cultivation journey was only beginning.
Get access to 10+ chapters on my patreon at https://patreon.com/SonOfMan