【Amidst joy, you did not stop.
Your mind sank into the fifth volume of the "Xuan Yuan Formula"—
Golden Core Advancement Chapter!
The cultivation technique circulated, Spiritual Energy surged, and you began to stabilize your realm and advance towards Mid Golden Core.】
【Third Hundred Years: Golden Core stabilized and solidified, Dao patterns clear and profound.
The fifth volume of the "Xuan Yuan Formula" was initially glimpsed, and the total amount and purity of Spiritual Energy steadily increased.
However, just as you attempted to touch the threshold of Mid Golden Core, a sudden change occurred!
That old injury, suppressed deep within your foundation, like a lurking poisonous snake,
suddenly backfired under the impact of higher-level Spiritual Energy!
A subtle yet extremely stubborn sense of obstruction and weakness permeated from the core of your Golden Core,
hindering the transformation of Spiritual Energy to a higher level!
You forcefully circulated the technique to break through, but it was like sailing against the current, yielding twice the effort for half the result, and the old wound ached faintly!】
【The Four Hundred and Fifty Years After That:
Stabilizing the Aftermath!
You suppressed your injuries with a Transparent Dao Heart and the "True Meaning of Non-Action" to pacify the violent Spiritual Energy,
difficultly maintaining the nascent Golden Core riddled with cracks, and your cultivation barely stabilized at Early Golden Core.
You fully circulated the fifth level of the "Xuan Yuan Formula," slowly repairing the damaged foundation,
nurturing the fragile Golden Core.
The progress was as slow as a crawling turtle.】
【Fifty-First Year: Progress Was Laborious!
The old injury, like a maggot clinging to the bone, severely restricted the speed and depth of cultivating the fifth volume of the "Xuan Yuan Formula."
A hundred years of bitter cultivation, consuming countless effort,
only allowed the fifth volume of the "Xuan Yuan Formula" to reach the "Minor Accomplishment" realm,
with Great Accomplishment, let alone glimpsing the sixth volume, still a distant prospect!
Your realm was stuck dead at the peak of Early Golden Core. The threshold of Mid Golden Core,
was like a chasm across your path, and the old injury was the most solid chain on this chasm!
You tried various methods to alleviate and repair it, but the results were minimal.
This hidden injury was rooted in the very origin of your foundation, and could not be resolved by the cultivation of the Golden Core realm or the power of the Minor Accomplishment of the fifth volume of the "Xuan Yuan Formula."】
【The Fifty-Three Years After That:
Facing Reality.
You no longer forced breakthroughs in your realm, but instead focused on consolidating the Minor Accomplishment realm of the fifth volume of the "Xuan Yuan Formula,"
nurturing the Golden Core with mellow and gentle Xuan Yuan Spiritual Energy, and slowly recuperating the stubborn old injury.
Although it could not be eradicated, it could slightly slow its worsening.
In your leisure time, you contemplated the vicissitudes of the ancient land, and your Dao Heart, in its helplessness, gained a further layer of depth.】
【Fifty-Eighth Year:
In the Spirit Nurturing Ancient Cave, your breath ceased.
The Golden Core remained stuck at the peak of Early Golden Core, with the fifth volume of the "Xuan Yuan Formula" at Minor Accomplishment.
Your expression was calm, but in the depths of your eyes, there was a hint of faint regret for not breaking through the shackles.】
【Simulation Ended.】
【Survival Time: 580 Years.】
【Ending: Died of Old Age in the Ancient Land.】
【Evaluation: Early Golden Core Xuan Yuan, old injury hinders, foundation struggles to surpass Mid stage.】
【Please select one item to bring back to reality:】
【1. Complete memory of this simulation.】
【2. Cultivation realm and experience (Peak Early Golden Core cultivation, "Xuan Yuan Formula" Fourth Volume Perfected, Fifth Volume Minor Accomplishment).】
A pale golden light screen hovered. Lín Děténg in the quiet room slowly opened his eyes.
The smooth and perfect breakthrough to Golden Core in the simulation,
and the subsequent long period of powerlessness, being stuck at Early Golden Core due to the old injury,
transformed into cold text flowing across his mind, carrying a warning that was both expected and incredibly clear.
"As expected... the old injury is the true stumbling block."
Lín Děténg's heart was clear as a mirror.
This breakthrough to Golden Core was achieved through several awakenings of his Dao Heart and the True Meaning of Non-Action.
But after the Golden Core, this old injury deep within his foundation became a fatal shackle restricting further progress!
The fact that he didn't dare to attempt another breakthrough for over five hundred years in the simulation was proof!
There was no suspense in the choice! His will locked onto option two: 【Cultivation realm and experience】!
【Selection Confirmed.】
【Cultivation realm and experience have been integrated into the host's physical body, meridians, Dantian, and soul origin!】
A torrent of mellow and majestic power, imbued with the unique neutral and peaceful aura of the "Xuan Yuan Formula," instantly surged in!
In the center of his Dantian Qi Sea, a "Golden Core" radiating condensed dark green light and bearing ancient Dao patterns took shape!
It was stable and round, perfectly embodying the power comprehension and Spiritual Energy circulation instincts of the peak Early Golden Core.
The circulation trajectory of the Minor Accomplishment of the fifth volume of the "Xuan Yuan Formula" was deeply etched into his meridians,
bearing a unique rhythm that nurtured the Golden Core and harmonized Spiritual Energy.
However, deep within this power,
Lín Děténg clearly "perceived" a faint "sense of obstruction" and "weakness" of that old hidden injury, like an extremely subtle shadow within the Golden Core.
It served as a reminder of the hidden danger in reality.
"Peak Early Golden Core... Minor Accomplishment of the fifth volume of the "Xuan Yuan Formula"... the shackle of the old injury..."
A faint, knowing yet solemn curve appeared on Lín Děténg's lips.
This simulation had completely illuminated the path ahead—the Golden Core was formed.
He collected his thoughts and heard Qián Dàyǒu's raised voice from the direction of the Mission Hall, seemingly scolding another disciple again,
this time about "reporting a damaged spirit hoe with incorrect wear, suspected of private use." et cetera.
On Lín Děténg's face, that gentle and standard smile remained unchanged.
Qián Dàyǒu's chatter was as insignificant as dust to his current state of mind, having seen through his greatest restriction.
...The next step is to continue cultivating bitterly based on the Minor Accomplishment of the fifth volume of the "Xuan Yuan Formula." So what if the foundation is damaged?
Simulate a few more times!
...The next day, in the Outer Sect of Xuan Yuan Sect, the Mission Hall.
Qián Dàyǒu's chatter echoed in the hall like background noise, continuing unabated.
Yesterday he fixated on Qián Dàyǒu's Decontamination Talisman, and today he had targeted a disciple who had just finished a mission at the Alchemy Hall,
sputtering accusations about why he had reported three portions of "Clarity Grass" as damaged.
"Unstable heat? A problem with the cauldron?
Nonsense!
It's clearly your poor fire control technique and unstable Spiritual Energy output!
How much is this Clarity Grass worth? You think you can get away with a simple 'unstable heat'?
According to the new regulations, the Spirit Stone cost for these three portions will be deducted from your mission contribution points!
Furthermore, you are punished to control the fire in the alchemy room for ten days, to practice your basic skills properly!"
Qián Dàyǒu's voice was sharp and unquestionable.
The alchemy disciple's face turned pale, his lips trembled, but he dared not argue further.
Surrounding disciples murmured, keeping their heads down,
afraid of being noticed by Qián Dàyǒu.
Lín Děténg sat calmly behind his desk, his face wearing an unchanging gentle smile, his actions of distributing jade tokens precise and efficient.
He seemed to possess an invisible soundproof barrier, filtering out Qián Dàyǒu's shouts and the disciples' grievances.
He was the Outer Sect Elder of the Mission Hall. His duty was to issue tokens, not to be a peacekeeper.
Do your job while in position, and don't meddle in affairs outside your purview.