The Golden Core Stage could be considered the true threshold of mastery on the path of cultivation. For a Golden Core cultivator, unless possessing heaven-defying talent or encountering a great opportunity, advancing just one layer of cultivation often required years, even over a decade, of arduous cultivation. Yet, a single Golden Epiphyllum Pill could save a Golden Core cultivator these ten-plus years of bitter toil, directly elevating them by one layer. It was easy to imagine just how fiercely sought-after such a pill would be.
Given its heaven-defying nature, the preciousness of the Golden Epiphyllum Pill went without saying. Even within the entire cultivation world, the appearance of such a pill was exceedingly rare. Each time one surfaced, it would trigger fierce competition among countless Golden Core cultivators. Narrowing the focus to the cultivation world of Xia Country, a Golden Epiphyllum Pill might not emerge even once in a hundred years. According to records Lin Feng had read in the Lingyue Sect's archives, the last appearance of a Golden Epiphyllum Pill in Xia Country's cultivation world was two hundred and forty years ago. It was refined by the previous Sect Leader, who had since passed into seclusion. At that time, he refined ten pills in total. Half were auctioned off, while the other half remained as sect reserves, sealed within the Lingyue Sect to this day.
The reason for the Golden Epiphyllum Pill's extreme preciousness, besides the primary ingredient—the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum—being an encounter that occurred perhaps once in a century, was that the refinement process itself was immensely difficult.
The Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum, this spiritual herb, possessed one defining characteristic: its true maturity lasted only ten breaths!
True to its name, it bloomed for merely ten breaths—a fleeting moment, as ephemeral as a flash in the pan. After those ten breaths, it would wither instantly, impossible to preserve. To use it for pill refinement, it had to be placed into the cauldron for alchemy immediately within those ten breaths of its bloom. In other words, to refine a Golden Epiphyllum Pill, a pill master capable of refining it must be present beside the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum at the precise moment it matured and bloomed, for there to be any chance of success.
The sheer stringency of this condition explained why Golden Epiphyllum Pills were so vanishingly rare—encountered by sheer luck, not sought through effort; possessing a theoretical value but no actual market.
However, even if one couldn't use it to refine the pill, stumbling upon a Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum was still a dream opportunity for countless cultivators. Because, even without refining it into a pill, the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum itself was comparable to a miraculous spiritual pill. At the moment of its maturity, after blooming for ten breaths, all of the spiritual herb's medicinal potency would dissipate into the surrounding air. If one could absorb this potency and cultivate at that precise moment, its effectiveness would absolutely surpass swallowing a handful of Spirit Essence Pills. In fact, it could essentially be equated to the effect of a complete Golden Epiphyllum Pill! Moreover, this was a purely natural enhancement—free from the pill toxins associated with consumed elixirs and entirely without side effects!
Therefore, after recognizing this Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum, Lin Feng was plunged into overwhelming surprise and joy. Though he couldn't refine the Golden Epiphyllum Pill and thus couldn't fully utilize its potential, if he could harness its medicinal power for cultivation at the moment of its maturity, the benefits would still be colossal.
"What incredible luck..." Lin Feng muttered excitedly to himself, unable to contain his eagerness. He swiftly walked over to the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum, crouched down, and began examining it closely. Comparing it to the descriptions he remembered from the Lingyue Sect archives, he confirmed that this particular blossom appeared to be very close to maturity. This discovery filled him with even greater joy, though the exact timing remained uncertain.
Such a rare opportunity was worth waiting ten days or even half a month here if necessary. However, the fear gnawed at him: what if it took even longer? What if it still hadn't bloomed by the time he was due to leave the valley? That would mean all his hope washed away like water through a bamboo basket—utterly wasted.
"I wonder if there's any way to make this Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum mature early..." Lin Feng stared fixedly at the small golden bud before him, his expression twisting slightly in dissatisfaction as he racked his brain. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and a spark of realization dawned, filling him with silent glee. "Yes!! I could try 'accelerating its growth'!"
For ordinary plants and flowers, how does one aid their growth? Watering and fertilizing. For spiritual plants in the cultivation world, the principle was the same—except they didn't require ordinary 'fertilizer'. There was a technique called the Rain Calling Art specifically designed for nurturing spiritual flora. It could condense rainwater rich in spiritual energy to irrigate spiritual fields, promoting better growth for the plants within. Lin Feng had witnessed Fei Biao, assigned to the sect's herb garden in Lingyue Sect, perform this technique.
He himself couldn't perform the Rain Calling Art, but he possessed something far superior—Spirit Spring!!
In terms of richness of spiritual energy, even if a Golden Core cultivator performed the Rain Calling Art a hundred times, it likely wouldn't match the potency of a single drop of Spirit Spring. Was there anything better suited to nourish this Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum on the cusp of maturity?
Thinking it, he acted. Lin Feng immediately retrieved a small porcelain bottle containing a small amount of Spirit Spring from his storage ring. With meticulous care, he tilted it slightly, allowing only a single drop to fall onto the stem and root area of the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum.
The Spirit Spring seeped instantly into the soil, leaving not even a trace dampness. Yet, Lin Feng immediately sensed a clear change: the glow emanating from the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum visibly flickered and intensified ever so slightly!
"It's working!!" Lin Feng's eyes widened sharply, his gaze fixed intently on the small bud. His sharp senses detected a subtle shifting amidst the tightly curled petals—it looked as if they were about to unfurl!
The effect of just a single drop was astonishingly obvious—immediate and dramatic!
"Excellent, it seems like..."
"Qiu!!"
Just as Lin Feng was observing the changes in the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum with rapturous joy, Xiao Qiu's piercing shriek suddenly rang in his ears. Instantly, his face turned deathly pale!
"ROAR!!!" Almost simultaneously, a furious, earth-shattering roar erupted from the passageway outside. The entire cavern shuddered violently under its force. Accompanying the bellow was an overwhelming, savage, and terrifying aura!
"Monster Beast!!" Lin Feng's pupils contracted to pinpoints. He reacted instantly. There was no need to guess—the cave's 'owner' had returned! He had been puzzled earlier about why the cavern was empty; evidently, the resident monster beast had been out, and now it was back!
"BOOM!!" Even as Lin Feng spun around, a massive black shadow burst forth from the bend in the tunnel about ten meters behind him. It charged with such ferocious speed that it shattered a section of the cavern wall at the corner. Amidst the crumbling rock fragments, a deep brown monster beast emerged into Lin Feng's view. Its form bore an uncanny resemblance to the Earth's prehistoric Velociraptor.
"Level 3, Sixth Rank!!" Lin Feng's eyelid twitched violently, his expression instantly turning grave. Although he didn't recognize this specific beast, he could clearly discern its strength: Level 3, Sixth Rank—equivalent to a sixth-layer Golden Core cultivator!
"Tsk!! No choice... I have to fight!" Lin Feng glanced swiftly at the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum beside him. His gaze hardened, resolve etching itself onto his face. Trying to flee now was probably futile, and he absolutely could not bear to abandon the precious herb. His only option was to fight with everything he had and eliminate this beast.
"ROAR!!!" At that very moment, the beast let out another thunderous roar. Without the slightest hesitation, it surged towards Lin Feng like a tempest!
"Shiiiing..." Lin Feng flicked his right hand, sending his Scarlet Soul Flying Sword slicing through the air. Yet, even at such close quarters, the beast swayed its body with uncanny agility, effortlessly dodging the blade without slowing its charge even a fraction. In the blink of an eye, it closed the distance, right before Lin Feng. Then, it abruptly leaped! Its two powerful, iron-cast claws, now shimmering with a deep cyan light, slashed viciously towards him!
THUD! A resonant impact shook the air. The protective spiritual light shield shimmering before Lin Feng trembled violently, seeming on the verge of shattering, but ultimately held firm against the blow. Seizing this narrow opening, Lin Feng focused his will, directing the flying sword with all his might to reverse course and stab towards the back of the beast's head.
The next instant, the beast was knocked back a couple of meters by the shield's recoil. As it landed, its massive tail whipped around with a sound like clashing steel—CLANG! Without even turning its head, the beast's tail struck the incoming flying sword, sending it spinning wildly away!
Simultaneously, Lin Feng stomped the ground, propelling himself sideways past the beast and dashing towards the cavern entrance ten meters away.
In that lightning-fast exchange, Lin Feng and the beast swapped positions. The beast now stood where Lin Feng had been moments before. It didn't immediately press another attack. Instead, it whipped its head towards the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum, its eyes visibly flickering with relief upon seeing the herb unharmed. Only then did its gaze snap back to Lin Feng, filled with renewed, murderous intent.
However, just as it turned its head back, it was met with an explosion of blinding white light!
"ROARRR!!!"
The air within the cavern seemed to solidify, coalescing into an ear-splitting tiger's roar brimming with lethal intent. Amidst the churning white radiance, the phantom of a colossal white tiger materialized out of thin air, occupying nearly half the cavern space. Assuming the posture of a starving tiger pouncing on prey, it lunged with jaws agape towards the monster beast!
In that split second, terror, raw and primal, flooded the beast's vertical yellow pupils. It let out a strangled shriek, its entire aura erupting violently. Its cavernous maw gaped open, and a beam of cyan light, sharp as a sword, shot straight towards the oncoming White Tiger Soul!
SWOOSH—BOOM!!
The attack, swift as lightning and terrifyingly potent, pierced clean through the phantom form of the White Tiger Soul and slammed into the cavern ceiling, blasting a hole clear through the rock.
Yet, despite being impaled, the White Tiger Soul did not dissipate. It seamlessly reformed in an instant, its assault utterly unhindered. Even as it reconstituted, it crashed bodily onto the monster beast!
The beast's eyes widened first in sheer panic, then in utter disbelief. In the next heartbeat, the White Tiger Soul passed through its physical form. Emerging from its hindquarters, the phantom tiger's claws now clutched a hazy, insubstantial shadow—an exact duplicate of the monster beast!
The White Tiger Soul snapped its massive jaws shut, biting down directly onto the neck of the beast's soul shadow. Astonishingly, the captured soul shadow began to struggle violently! Two intangible entities now grappled and tore at each other in a silent, spectral battle, a scene profoundly eerie in its absolute quiet.
However, the beast's soul was clearly no match for the White Tiger Soul. As they tore at each other, chunks of energy were ripped relentlessly from the beast's shadowy form. Its figure grew increasingly blurred and indistinct.
Even a Level 4, Initial Stage Ice-Eyed Giant Python (albeit severely wounded) had fallen to the White Tiger Soul's attack before. How could this Level 3, Sixth Rank beast possibly withstand it?
After mere moments, the beast's soul shadow could endure no more. It was torn asunder by the White Tiger Soul, dissolving into countless motes of light that scattered and vanished into the air. With the beast's soul utterly annihilated, the White Tiger Soul flickered once and transformed into a streak of white light that shot back into the White Tiger Fierce Soul Talisman clutched in Lin Feng's hand.
Lin Feng himself collapsed heavily onto the ground. His face was deathly pale, sweat beading densely on his forehead, his robes drenched as if he'd been plunged into water. He sat slumped, utterly drained, feeling completely hollowed out.
"Qiu..." Xiao Qiu, who had burrowed into Lin Feng's robes for safety, cautiously peeked out. It looked at him with deep concern in its eyes, silently asking if he was alright.
"Ha... I'm fine, don't worry," Lin Feng managed a weak chuckle. He raised a trembling hand and patted Xiao Qiu's head reassuringly. Then, reaching into his storage ring once more, he pulled out the porcelain flask containing the Spirit Spring. Without hesitating, he tipped a single drop onto his tongue.
—His current state was far too vulnerable. Fearful of another imminent threat, he couldn't afford to conserve resources. He was essentially using the precious Spirit Spring as a substitute for a basic Qi Restoration Pill.
The efficacy of the Spirit Spring was immeasurably superior to any Qi Restoration Pill. Besides, Lin Feng's total true essence reserves weren't particularly vast. In less than half an hour—before even absorbing half the spiritual energy from that single drop—Lin Feng felt his depleted true essence reserves surge back to fullness.
"Haaah..." Breathing a deep sigh of relief as he felt his strength returning, Lin Feng silently gave thanks that no further mishaps had occurred during his vulnerable state. He pushed himself to his feet and walked over to the corpse of the monster beast. Its body was physically intact, but its soul was long gone. After a brief inspection, he stored it directly into his storage ring.
His gaze then shifted back to the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum, confirming it hadn't been harmed in the fierce battle. Relief washed over him. After a moment's thought, he turned and walked out to the cavern entrance. There, he used several Earth Wall Talismans, sealing off the entire outermost section of the tunnel—nearly ten meters worth—completely blocking it. Only then did he return to the inner cavern.
"Hmm?!" Upon reaching the cavern's end again, Lin Feng froze in surprise. The golden radiance permeating the space had intensified nearly twofold compared to before!
Looking towards the source, the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum, he saw that the tightly closed bud had changed: three of its petals had unfurled halfway!
"Could it be blooming?!" Lin Feng stared, momentarily stunned, before an overwhelming wave of ecstatic disbelief crashed over him. He hadn't dared hope the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum would mature this quickly!
It seemed that single drop of Spirit Spring had exerted an effect far greater than he'd anticipated. Thrilled, Lin Feng immediately sat down cross-legged directly facing the herb, his eyes locked unblinkingly onto the unfolding blossom.
An indescribably unique fragrance, now several times more potent than before, filled his nostrils. Lin Feng watched, mesmerized, as the small bud of the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum slowly opened. Petal by petal began to unfurl, and the speed of their unfolding accelerated rapidly...
Within moments, the golden radiance within the cavern reached its zenith, blindingly intense. Finally, all the petals of the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum stretched out fully, transforming into a resplendent, mature blossom whose brilliance was almost too dazzling to behold!
Lin Feng unconsciously clenched his fists. Ignoring the searing glare, he stared fixedly at the fully bloomed Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum. He could hear his own heartbeat pounding thunderously in his ears—each beat marking the passage of a single breath. One... two... three...
Lin Feng counted steadily, adhering strictly to the normal rhythm. At ten beats—ten breaths—he witnessed the impossible: the vibrant golden flower, full of life just a moment before, withered and dropped in the blink of an eye. Before it could even touch the ground, it dissolved into countless minuscule points of light, vanishing entirely into the air...
"Now!!"
A sharp gleam flashed in Lin Feng's eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately closed his eyes, focused his spirit, and began circulating his cultivation technique.
The instant he entered the cultivation state, Lin Feng felt something unprecedented. It was as if he was submerged in a thick, warm substance. Every pore on his body seemed to dilate wide open. Innumerable streams of pure energy poured into him, coursing through his meridians, swelling and strengthening his flowing true essence.
Though the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum had withered, the golden radiance that had saturated the cavern didn't dissipate. Instead, it coalesced into countless tiny, luminous specks, drifting in the air like ethereal fireflies. Some seeped into the surrounding rock walls, but the majority seemed drawn inexorably towards Lin Feng, disappearing into his body.
Lin Feng had entered a state of profound self-oblivion, fully immersed in cultivation. As time passed, the aura of true essence naturally emanating from his body gradually intensified. His cultivation base was visibly, tangibly advancing...
...
Three days and three nights slipped by in utter silence. The sealed cavern was now pitch black, the pervasive golden light completely gone. Only at its deepest end did a faint, crimson glow persist.
This dim red light emanated from Lin Feng himself. He sat cross-legged, hands resting lightly on his lower abdomen forming a simple cultivation seal, utterly motionless like a statue chiseled from stone.
Suddenly, Lin Feng's eyelids fluttered slightly. The faint red aura surrounding him abruptly swelled, then contracted violently before vanishing entirely. The cavern plunged into absolute darkness.
A moment later, light reappeared—a luminous crystal emitting a soft, milky white radiance. In its gentle glow, Lin Feng's face was revealed, etched with profound joy and satisfaction.
Holding the Illumination Crystal in his left hand, Lin Feng clenched his right fist tightly. He nodded slowly, a smile spreading across his face.
"The Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum truly lives up to its legendary reputation," he murmured to himself, wonder and triumph in his voice. "Foundation Establishment... Great Perfection... Excellent. The next step—preparing to form the Golden Core!!"
Borne upon the immense power of the Ten-Breath Golden Epiphyllum, Lin Feng's cultivation had skyrocketed from the eighth layer of the Foundation Establishment Stage all the way to Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage in just three days!
This was the absolute pinnacle he could reach through this method. Expecting to leverage this single event to break through directly into the Golden Core Stage was impossible. Achieving Core Formation required finding another, entirely separate, opportune moment and catalyst.