The tribulation clouds dispersed, and the sky brightened again.
Tang Xiao Qi floated in mid-air. Beneath his scorched and damaged clothes, his skin was glossy as jade, faintly shimmering with treasure light. He slowly opened his eyes. Golden light seemed to flash briefly in his eyes before returning to profound tranquility. Within his body, that Golden Core the size of a dragon's eye, round and radiant, slowly rotated at the center of the dantian qi sea. With each rotation, it inhaled and exhaled Golden Core power incomparably more pure and powerful than liquid spiritual energy, like a miniature star radiating vast and stable energy fluctuations.
Just as he sank his mind inward to carefully experience the wonders of this new realm, a strange phenomenon occurred in heaven and earth.
The spiritual energy that had been chaotic due to the Thunder Tribulation now became docile, and with astonishing speed, converged toward him. In the sky, instead of clouds gathering again, a gentle rain fell. This rainwater was not ordinary water but presented a pale gold color, containing incomparably pure life energy and spiritual energy—this was "Divine Rain Descending," Heaven's gift and baptism to the one who successfully passed the tribulation.
The golden raindrops fell on Xiao Qi. The scorched layer on his body immediately peeled off, revealing newborn skin beneath—smooth, firm, faintly glowing with a pale gold luster. This was the manifestation of his physical body, after Thunder Tribulation tempering and Divine Rain nourishment, reaching a brand new level of strength. His internal injuries from forcefully resisting the heavenly thunder, whether vibrating organs or slightly damaged meridians, under the nourishment of this creative Divine Rain, healed and strengthened at a visible speed, becoming even more firm and broad than before, sufficient to carry the more violent Golden Core spiritual power.
At the same time, that scorched and desolate earth beneath his feet, after being devastated by the Thunder Tribulation's aftermath, actually sprouted golden lotus images condensed from pure spiritual energy under the infiltration of Divine Rain—Golden Lotuses Rising from Earth. The golden lotuses swayed gracefully, emanating a refreshing fragrance, and released even richer and gentler spiritual energy, forming a perfect cycle with Xiao Qi's pores. He did not need to deliberately operate his cultivation method. His body was like a bottomless pit, spontaneously and greedily absorbing this double gift from heaven and earth.
Pure spiritual energy like hundreds of rivers returning to the sea flooded into his four limbs and hundred meridians. After being refined and transformed by the Golden Core, it became the Golden Core origin power unique to him, not only rapidly filling the enormous consumption from tribulation but also allowing his cultivation level to stabilize at an unimaginable speed and steadily advance toward the peak of early Golden Core stage.
His spiritual sense (now perhaps it should be called "spiritual consciousness") was also undergoing earth-shaking transformation. His spiritual sense that originally covered dozens of li now, as if having broken free from some invisible shackle, frantically spread in all directions. A hundred li, a thousand li. ten thousand li! Within ten thousand li, the rustle of wind through grass, insect chirps and ant marches, even the faint flow of underground spiritual veins, all clearly reflected in his heart lake, every detail visible, control at will. The quality and quantity of spiritual consciousness were now as different from the Foundation Establishment stage as earth is from heaven. With a thought, he could draw upon spiritual energy in a larger range, and investigate more hidden traces.
And that newly born Golden Core was even more wondrous. It was not only the crystallization of his entire cultivation but also seemed like the core of his life, closely connected to his divine soul. On the Golden Core, four extremely minute yet profound Dao pattern traces were faintly visible—those were the origin marks left after the Four Symbols Soul Crystals merged, giving his Golden Core a natural thread of Four Symbols balance and protective heaven intent. The World-Purifying Ling Yan fire seed at the center quietly burned, continuously tempering the Golden Core, making it more pure. The Azure Lotus Origin transformed into a hazy clear light covering the Golden Core, granting it the unique attribute of resisting all evil and purifying everything.
Xiao Qi could clearly feel that his connection with heaven and earth had become even closer. With a slight thought, the surrounding golden Divine Rain and the spiritual energy from the Golden Lotuses Rising from Earth responded like his own arms. He could even faintly sense the deeper of heavenly and earthly laws. Power, an unprecedented sense of power filled his entire body, but this power was not violent or uncontrollable. Under the command of the Golden Core, it was as easy to control as his own limbs, smooth and natural.
He attempted to mobilize a thread of Golden Core power. A wisp of golden light as condensed as substantial form leaped at his fingertip, emanating a chilling fluctuation. This was merely casual action, yet its power probably already far exceeded his full-strength strike during the Foundation Establishment stage. If he deployed spells and stimulated treasures, how much greater would the power become? Xiao Qi felt a sudden understanding. From today onward, he had truly stepped into the ranks of the strong in the cultivation world, possessing the fundamental capital to stand in this magnificent era and even protect what his heart desired.
The Divine Rain lasted about the time for an incense stick to burn. The phenomenon of Golden Lotuses Rising from Earth also gradually faded. When the last golden raindrop merged into Xiao Qi's body, and the last golden lotus image transformed into pure spiritual energy he absorbed, heaven and earth returned to tranquility. Sunlight shone down unobstructed, falling on him as if draping a layer of sacred light.
He slowly descended to the ground, feet touching solid earth. He felt within his body that Golden Core spiritual power rushing like great rivers yet obedient to command, felt the vastness of spiritual sense covering ten thousand li, felt the resilience of his body after transformation. A sense of freedom of "the sea is wide for fish to leap and the sky is high for birds to fly," and a heavy sense of responsibility that came with it, simultaneously surged in his heart.
Golden Core newly formed, Heaven and Earth's gift—it was not merely a leap in cultivation but an elevation of life itself. He had taken this crucial step. Perhaps there were still hardships and obstacles ahead, even threats from lurking demonic entities, but at this moment, Tang Xiao Qi was firm in Dao Heart, fearless.
He raised his head, looking toward the direction of Qingxu Temple. His gaze seemed to, seeing those who cared for him and looked forward to his return. The corner of his lips could not help but curve into a warm and confident arc.
"Master, Senior Brothers and Sisters, Aunt Su. and, Father. I. succeeded."
With these murmured words, he thoroughly consolidated the early Golden Core realm, completing this crucial transformation. A new journey had already unfolded before his feet.