Kael did not rush the breakthrough.
The Azure Core rested inside his dantian for three days before he attempted refinement.
Foundation Late was already stable.
Dense.
Heavy.
But Core Formation required structure, not force.
Inside the underground chamber, he sat alone.
No guards.
No attendants.
He did not inform the elders.
If he failed, only he would bear it.
If he succeeded, they would know soon enough.
He began circulating slowly.
Primordial circulation first.
Then the Blood Devouring Art layered beneath it.
The Azure Core responded immediately.
Energy spread through his meridians like controlled fire.
Not explosive.
But intense.
Kael compressed the flow inward.
Core Formation was not just about accumulation.
It required building a stable core structure.
Many cultivators forced it.
Many destabilized permanently.
He did not force.
He guided.
Hours passed.
Sweat covered his back.
His meridians trembled under pressure.
The Azure Core cracked slightly.
Energy poured into the center of his dantian.
Kael focused on shaping it.
Not sphere.
Not random mass.
Structured core.
Dense layers rotating inward.
His chaotic Qi wrapped around it naturally.
Suppressing instability.
Blood Devouring threads reinforced its outer shell.
The first condensation occurred.
Pain shot through his abdomen.
He did not move.
He compressed further.
The second condensation followed.
His aura began leaking slightly into the chamber.
Stone walls trembled.
He suppressed outward flow.
Control mattered more than display.
The final compression was the most dangerous.
If the structure failed now, backlash would cripple him.
He steadied his breathing.
Compressed again.
The Azure Core shattered fully.
Energy collapsed inward.
Silence filled the chamber.
Then—
A pulse.
Clean.
Stable.
Heavy.
Kael opened his eyes.
Core Formation Early.
No violent shockwave.
No instability.
His aura was not explosive.
It was dense.
Structured.
Dominant.
He stood slowly.
The difference was immediate.
His perception expanded.
His Qi flow became smoother.
He could feel subtle currents in the air.
Foundation Late had been powerful.
Core Formation was control.
He tested a small pulse of Qi toward the chamber wall.
The stone cracked quietly from inside.
He withdrew immediately.
No waste.
Above ground, Elder Morvain paused mid-conversation.
He felt it.
A breakthrough.
From the heir's residence.
Vaelin, still under house arrest, felt it too.
His expression darkened.
Too fast.
Kael exited the chamber calmly.
The guard captain bowed deeply.
"Young Master…"
"Prepare announcement for council," Kael said evenly.
"Yes."
Within the hour, the clan gathered.
Morvain looked at him carefully.
"You broke through."
"Yes."
"At this age."
"Yes."
No pride.
No boasting.
Just fact.
Some elders exchanged uneasy glances.
Core Formation at his age placed him among the empire's top young cultivators.
Vaelin remained silent.
But his defeat was now inevitable.
Across the city, Aric Vale felt the shift during meditation.
He opened his eyes slowly.
"He broke through," Aric muttered.
His master nodded.
"You are no longer alone at the top."
Aric stood.
"Good."
There was no fear in his voice.
Only anticipation.
Back at the estate, Kael returned to his chamber.
Core Formation Early.
But unlike Aric, his foundation was heavier.
Denser.
The Blood Devouring Art felt stronger now.
More efficient.
He could drain faster.
Refine better.
But he would not abuse it.
Power used carelessly attracted attention.
He needed control.
Three years until destruction.
Now the timeline was completely broken.
He was no longer the fallen villain.
He was equal to the protagonist.
And the empire would soon notice.