Mist still lingered over the small clearing where Seraphina had spent the previous day, the scent of crushed moss and wood smoke still in the air.
She stretched, flexing her newly reinforced muscles, feeling the latent fire Qi from her techniques swirling gently within her. The system pulsed quietly, noting her Core Formation Layer 7 status.
Her EXP now sat at 1,300/4,500.
She crouched, closed her eyes, and drew a deep breath. The village around her was calm, a soft breeze rustling the nearby herbs. Her compressed form shimmered faintly as she activated it fully, suppressing her G-cup curves, her pronounced hips, and her angelic—but dangerous—facial features. Anyone observing would see nothing remarkable, just an ordinary tomboy crouched in the grass.
[System Notification: Compressed Form Active]
Her core pulsed faintly, aware of the latent energies she had already drawn into her body. Today, she would push further. She would break through Core Formation Layers 8 and 9, and attempt her first Bronze Core.
Seraphina inhaled the surrounding Qi, letting it swirl through her lungs, down her spine, and into her core. The sensation was intoxicating, the energy both cold and warm, like a river of fire and ice coiling within her. The system ticked each passing second, granting her 1 EXP per minute in passive cultivation.
[System Notification: Passive Cultivation Active — EXP Gain: 1 per Minute]
Even with passive cultivation alone, her EXP climbed steadily. Yet she knew she would accelerate the process through focus. She sat cross-legged, hands resting on her knees, and entered a meditative rhythm. The sound of her own breathing, the subtle hum of energy around her, and the faint crackle of fire Qi interwoven through her veins created a symphony of power.
Her body had grown used to the stress of Core Formation. Her muscles, compressed yet fully aware of their strength, could withstand multiple simultaneous breakthroughs without immediate strain. Her lowest stat now was 70, meaning she could punch through a large tree without effort. She tested it briefly: one punch, one crack, and the trunk crumbled. She smiled, a mixture of amusement and satisfaction curling across her suppressed features.
[System Notification: Core Formation Layer 7]
EXP: 1,350 / 4,500
Unassigned Stat Points: 0
It began slowly. A tremor in her core, faint at first, like a candle flickering in the wind. Her Fire Qi surged in response, integrating into her core naturally. Seraphina visualized the core itself, picturing a swirling bronze sphere forming at the center of her dantian, compressed yet full of potential. Her core pulsed outward, radiating energy in all directions.
She exhaled sharply. The process required perfect focus. Even a slip in her breath or misalignment of Qi channels could delay or collapse the breakthrough. She felt the first surge: her limbs vibrating with latent energy, the compressed core reacting to the new influx of Qi.
.
Her body pulsed. Fire Qi integrated into her core, giving it a faint shimmer that made it almost metallic in feel. Her muscles contracted, compressed, and relaxed, absorbing the breakthrough shock.
[System Notification: Core Formation Layer 8 Achieved]
Unassigned Stat Points: 4
Seraphina exhaled, allowing the Qi to settle. She immediately redistributed the points, pushing strength to 80, agility to 72, endurance to 75, and balance to 74.
She chuckled under her breath. "By the time I become a goddess, my assets will look like mountains," she muttered, enjoying the private joke at her own expense. Her compressed form prevented anyone in the village from observing, so she could afford the humor.
The breakthrough did not end there. Qi continued to flow. She sensed the next layer stirring within her, a force ten times stronger than the previous.
Core Formation Layer 9 demanded focus unlike any before. She inhaled sharply, feeling the fire and air Qi tangle with her bronze energy. Each heartbeat echoed like a drum in her chest, synchronizing with the pulse of her core.
Her vision tunneled as her internal energy expanded. The system tracked each micro-adjustment, each integration of fire techniques with her core, and each incremental growth of strength. She felt her techniques level organically:
Fireball Advanced → Fireball Mastery (Partial), Fire Fist Mastery (Partial) → Fire Fist Mastery, Fire Palm Mastery (Partial) → Fire Palm Mastery, Fire Step Advanced → Fire Step Mastery, Fire Guard Intermediate → Fire Guard Advanced.
The numbers ticked on her internal screen. 6,750 EXP was crossed, and her core erupted in bronze brilliance, solidifying her new power.
[System Notification: Core Formation Layer 9 Achieved]
Unassigned Stat Points: 4
Her body shivered as the energy stabilized. Muscles rippled under her compressed form, yet the suppression kept them hidden. She flexed experimentally, feeling the enhanced strength, agility, and balance. She tested her fist again against a tree—pulverized in one strike without noticeable effort.
The next target: Bronze Core. Her core had to compress fully before she could initiate the breakthrough. She focused, visualizing the formation of a small bronze sphere at her dantian, energy spiraling around it like miniature suns orbiting a central mass.
The compression phase was intense. Her senses narrowed to the flow of Qi, the pulsing energy, the connection between Fire Qi and Core Formation energy. She felt a slight burn in her dantian, muscles tensing as if resisting the inevitable expansion.
Finally, with a deep exhale, the bronze sphere stabilized. Her core radiated an aura far beyond any Core Formation practitioner she had seen or read about. Her system interface highlighted the new layer:
[System Notification: Bronze Core Achieved — Layer 1]
Unassigned Stat Points: 4
The multiplication effect of her Bronze Core was already noticeable. Every stat was effectively tripled, allowing her to challenge Copper Core cultivators with minimal effort.
She exhaled, trembling slightly from the intensity. Sweat dripped down her back, but she remained in compressed form, her tomboy disguise hiding all her demonic beauty. Fire Qi still danced along her limbs, techniques honed and upgraded from the breakthrough.
Status Screen:
Name: Seraphina Vale
Age: 18
Height: 5'5"
Cultivation Path: Bronze Core — Layer 1
Basic Stats (Adjusted for Core Multiplication):
Strength: 240
Agility: 216
Endurance: 225
Balance: 222
Stat Points: 4 (Unassigned)
Techniques:
• Fireball Technique — Mastery
• Fire Fist — Mastery
• Fire Palm — Mastery
• Fire Step — Mastery
• Fire Guard — Advanced
• Qi Infusion Technique — Mastery
• Compressed Form (Active/At Will)
EXP: 1,200 / 10,125
Shop Points: 780
Inventory:
• Tomboy Clothes (Supreme Suppression)
• Bronze Coins ×50
• Copper Coins ×25
• Gold ×10
[System Notification: Bronze Core Breakthrough Multiplier Activated — Beast EXP ×100]
Her body hummed with strength. Even in compressed form, her movements carried latent menace. She could tear through mountains, crush boulders, and even challenge low-tier Copper Core cultivators without significant risk.
By the time she relaxed, the sun was low on the horizon, painting the village in a soft orange glow. She wandered back toward the village edge. Spotting her shy boyfriend—Taro, diligently practicing basic punches against a wooden post—she couldn't resist a spark of mischief.
With a playful glint in her eyes, Seraphina sauntered over and plopped herself right onto his lap as he sat resting on a nearby stump, facing him directly. Her small buttocks settled firmly against him, a secret, mischievous smile playing on her lips as she wrapped her arms loosely around his neck.
"W-what—Sera?" Taro stammered, his face flushing crimson, eyes wide with surprise.
She didn't answer with words. Instead, with deliberate slowness, she ground her hips against him, circling teasingly until she felt his rod stir and rise, poking insistently against her ass through their clothes. A soft, wicked giggle escaped her as she reached down, her hand slipping mischievously to touch and stroke him firmly, drawing out a drained, breathless groan from the overwhelmed boy.
Leaning in, she planted a quick, teasing kiss on his cheek. "You're too cute when you're shy," she whispered, then burst into light laughter and sprang away, dashing off into the fading light before he could recover.
Taro slumped there, completely drained and dazed, his mind reeling. As she vanished from sight, a small pill arced through the air toward him—catching it instinctively, he popped it into his throat after pondering for about 10m minutes with hestitation moving here and there, the moment he swallowed the pill, the energy inside the pill forced him to sit down and meditate to risk not blowing up.
Taro blinked, heart pounding, his hands trembling slightly from the sudden surge of energy that had coursed through his body after swallowing the mysterious pill Seraphina had tossed. The energy refined within him, unlocking new potential, pushing him from Body Building Layer 3 to Layer 4. He could feel it—strength surging in his arms, fire in his chest, and yet an odd weight of curiosity pressing against him.
"Who… who is she really?" he whispered, staring at the empty space where she had vanished. His fingers itched to reach out, to touch the air she had occupied