PDLP Chapter 93 The Time Is Not Yet Ripe
Chapter 93 The Time Is Not Yet Ripe
After walking for three days, we finally returned to Qingyun Mountain.
Lanruo Temple still stands atop the mountain, its green bricks and gray tiles nestled among the evergreen pines and cypresses.
Standing at the mountain gate, Zhou Ning looked at the familiar temple and felt a long-lost sense of peace welling up in his heart.
"I'm back." He let out a long breath.
Yan Chixia entered the main hall, placed the black longsword on the incense table, and took out several golden talismans from his sleeve, sticking them to the sword.
The talisman glowed with golden light, and the resentment within the sword began to stir, emitting a piercing hiss, but it was quickly suppressed.
"It's temporarily sealed off," Yan Chixia said.
"Let me find some Buddhist ritual implements first, then I'll thoroughly purify it."
Zhou Ning asked, "Master, how can I help?"
Yan Chixia shook his head: "What you need to do now is to heal your injuries and cultivate. You don't need to worry about anything else."
He turned around, looked at Zhou Ning, and his tone softened unusually.
"You did a great job this time. Not only did you thwart the Black Mountain Demon's blood sacrifice, but you also retrieved that evil artifact. Although it was risky, the result was excellent. I'm proud of you."
Zhou Ning felt a warmth in his heart and quickly lowered his head.
"This disciple dares not accept such praise. If Master had not arrived in time, this disciple would probably already be..."
Yan Chixia waved his hand: "There are no 'what ifs.' The fact that you came back alive is the best outcome."
He took out a pill from his sleeve and handed it to Zhou Ning.
"This is the 'Primordial Essence Pill,' which can help you restore your vitality. After taking it, rest well for a few days."
Zhou Ning took the pill and swallowed it.
A warm medicinal effect spread through my body, and the fatigue and pain gradually subsided.
He left the main hall and returned to his residence.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he probed the jade slip containing the "Golden Elixir Chapter" with his divine sense and studied it carefully.
The cultivation of the Golden Core stage is more profound than that of the Foundation Establishment stage.
It tells how to condense liquid true essence into solid golden elixir, how to open the dantian and purple palace, and how to nurture the golden elixir into a nascent soul.
Each step requires extremely deep accumulation and opportunity.
"We can't rush this." Zhou Ning closed the jade slip.
"Let's heal our injuries first, then we can think about the Golden Core."
In the days that followed, Zhou Ning meditated and regulated his breathing every day on the back mountain to repair his damaged meridians and internal organs.
His injuries healed quickly, thanks to the powerful healing ability of the "Innate Qi" and the medicinal effects of the Peiyuan Pill. In less than five days, he was fully recovered.
One day, he was practicing his art of manipulating objects on the back mountain when he suddenly heard footsteps coming from down the mountain.
Zhou Ning walked to the edge of the cliff and looked down. He saw a young woman dressed in a white Taoist robe walking up the mountain path. It was Xuan Jing.
"Miss Xuanjing?" Zhou Ning hurried down the mountain to greet her.
Xuan Jing smiled slightly when she saw him: "Young Master Zhou, has your injury healed?"
Zhou Ning nodded: "Alright. Miss Xuanjing, what brings you here? Is there something you need from Daoist Xuanzhen?"
Xuan Jing took out a letter from her bosom and handed it to Zhou Ning.
"My senior brother asked me to tell you that after suffering a setback at Qingfeng Mountain, the Black Mountain Demon has temporarily retreated to his Black Mountain lair. He is currently in seclusion to heal his injuries and will not be causing trouble again in the short term. This is a good opportunity, and my senior brother hopes that you can take advantage of this time to improve your cultivation."
Zhou Ning took the letter, unfolded it, and read it.
The contents of the letter were consistent with what Xuan Jing had said, and a sentence was added at the end.
"Young Master Zhou, you are the most promising young cultivator I have ever seen. Do not waste your talent. I look forward to the day you form your Golden Core."
Zhou Ning carefully put away the letter, cupped his hands to Xuan Jing, and said, "Thank you for sending the message, Miss Xuan Jing. Please tell Master Xuanzhen that I will definitely work hard in my cultivation and live up to his expectations."
Xuan Jing nodded, then took out a jade talisman from his bosom and handed it to Zhou Ning.
"This is a 'Mind-Concentrating Talisman' from my Qingfeng Temple. It can help you calm your mind and accelerate your cultivation. My senior brother asked me to bring it to you."
Zhou Ning accepted the jade talisman and solemnly said, "Thank you."
Xuan Jing smiled, turned around and went down the mountain.
Zhou Ning watched her leave, then returned to the back mountain to continue his cultivation.
He placed the "Concentration Talisman" between his eyebrows, and a cool sensation flowed into his mind, making his consciousness clearer and sharper.
He closed his eyes and began to try to condense his true essence into a golden core.
Time passed day by day.
Within Zhou Ning's dantian, the liquid true essence began to slowly contract, gradually forming a golden sphere the size of a fist.
The sphere emitted a dazzling golden light, illuminating the entire dantian.
The rudimentary form of the Golden Elixir has appeared.
But there is still a long way to go before reaching the true Golden Elixir.
"Don't rush," Zhou Ning told himself.
"Take it one step at a time."
He continued his practice, day after day.
Spring has passed and autumn has come; three months have passed in the blink of an eye.
Behind Lanruo Temple, the pine trees still rustle and the wind still whispers.
Zhou Ning sat cross-legged on the boulder where he had practiced his sword countless times, closed his eyes and concentrated his mind. The true essence within his body was like a golden dragon, surging endlessly through his meridians.
Within his dantian, the liquid true essence had condensed into a fist-sized golden sphere, radiating dazzling golden light.
That was the prototype of the Golden Core, only one step away from becoming a true Golden Core.
Tribulation.
The Golden Core Tribulation is a major hurdle on the path of cultivation.
If successful, one will embark on the path to the Golden Elixir, greatly increasing lifespan and granting immense supernatural powers.
If one is defeated, one's cultivation will be completely destroyed, and one may even die and perish.
Zhou Ning dared not be careless. In the past three months, he had spent almost all his time cultivating, except for eating and necessary rest.
He studied the Golden Elixir chapter of "Innate Qi" hundreds of times, memorizing every single word.
He mastered the "Demon-Slaying Slash" and "Sky-Splitting Slash" to their fullest potential, unleashing maximum power with every strike.
His divine sense could cover an area of three hundred feet in radius, and his manipulation technique allowed the Qingfeng Sword to fly freely in the air, controlled at will.
However, the Golden Core Tribulation cannot be overcome simply by hard work.
It requires opportunity, a certain state of mind, and an understanding of the Way of Heaven.
On this day, Zhou Ning was cultivating in the back mountain when he suddenly felt the nascent golden core in his dantian throb violently.
He opened his eyes and saw that the sky was covered with dark clouds, thunder rumbled faintly, and streaks of silvery lightning were flashing through the clouds, as if they would strike down at any moment.
"Is the Golden Core Tribulation coming?"
Zhou Ning felt a chill run down his spine, quickly stopped his practice, and stood up.
However, the dark clouds soon dispersed, and the thunder disappeared.
The sky cleared up, sunlight streamed through the pine forest, and everything was as usual.
Zhou Ning frowned, somewhat puzzled.
That feeling I had just experienced was clearly a sign that a heavenly tribulation was about to descend, so why did it suddenly disappear?
As he was pondering, Yan Chixia's voice came from behind him.
"The time is not right."
Zhou Ning turned around and saw his master standing with his hands behind his back by the pine forest, gazing intently at the sky.
"Master, just now..."
"The Golden Core Tribulation is not something you can just come to whenever you want." Yan Chixia walked up to him.
"It requires the right timing, the right place, and the right people. Your cultivation is sufficient, but your state of mind is still lacking."
Zhou Ning was taken aback: "State of mind? This disciple feels that my Dao heart is already firm enough."
Yan Chixia shook his head: "A firm Dao heart does not equate to a perfect state of mind. Your hatred for the Black Mountain Demon, your compassion for the people, and your unwavering commitment to justice are all components of your Dao heart, but they are also your obsessions. Too deep an obsession will affect your understanding of the Dao."