Chapter 50: Condensation of the Elixir

Several days later.

Late at night, in the quiet of the hour, Meng Chuan sat cross-legged on his bed, moonlight streaming through the window and falling upon him.

"My Thunder God-body is now complete," Meng Chuan thought with anticipation. "I can try to condense my core."

There are five cultivation realms for mortals.

Among these, the 'Mortal Transformation Realm' consumes the most resources and takes the longest to cultivate. This stage involves shedding one's mortal body and gradually gaining the power of gods and demons. It requires consuming large quantities of potent tonics like spirit mushrooms, ginseng, and elixirs to replenish energy. Even with the Meng family's unlimited supply, it took Meng Chuan nearly three years to complete this bodily transformation.

For those less affluent, lacking sufficient tonics for this 'mortal transformation,' the process can be incredibly slow, often taking ten or even twenty years. Such cultivators might also suffer from 'malnutrition,' resulting in weaker physical bodies and internal energy compared to others at the same level.

As for the incident at Leisure Stone Garden, the Zhou family father and son offered a 'Thousand-Year Ginseng' worth ten thousand taels as compensation to Meng Chuan. This very ginseng was originally intended as a cultivation resource for their own young master in the Mortal Transformation Realm. This illustrates just how resource-intensive the Mortal Transformation Realm is; many cultivators at this stage become guards or subordinates solely to earn resources for their training.

If a cultivator is talented enough, their family will view them differently.

For example, Meng Chuan and Yan Jin not only had abundant resources but also used rare heavenly and earthly treasures to forge their god-and-demon foundations.

Mei Yuanzhi, for instance, received cultivation from the Dao Academy and some support from god-and-demon families, allowing him to complete his transformation within three years. However, it was unlikely he would acquire the heavenly and earthly treasures needed to establish a god-and-demon foundation. Mei Yuanzhi's talent was ultimately not quite exceptional enough to enter Mount Yuanchu. Had he possessed the talent of Prince Anhai's fifth son, he would have been specially recruited by Mount Yuanchu and received their utmost support, even if he came from common origins.

In contrast to the Mortal Transformation Realm, the 'Leakless Realm' requires minimal resource consumption.

Once one breaks through to the Leakless Realm, it only takes a few months to consolidate, reaching the peak of a mortal body. At this point, further cultivation is useless; for the body to advance further, one must become a god or demon!

"Condensing internal energy into a core is the final threshold before the Gate of Life and Death," Meng Chuan said, his eyes filled with anticipation.

There were only three Core Condensation experts within Dongning Prefecture.

However, many talented individuals who emerged from Dongning Prefecture over the past few decades had been fighting on battlefields, accumulating merit. Some of them had successfully condensed their cores.

For example, Aunt Meng became an outer disciple of Mount Yuanchu and has been fighting diligently outside. Her teammates, whose talents were comparable to hers, almost all successfully condensed their cores. Together, they strove to accumulate merit to earn a chance to challenge the 'Gate of Life and Death.' Aunt Meng acquired enough merit to earn one such opportunity, entering the 'God-Demon Blood Pool' to attempt a breakthrough. Failure meant death. She succeeded, absorbing the power of the God-Demon Blood Pool and becoming a true god-demon. However, most of her companions, who had already condensed their cores, died in battle while accumulating merit, never even getting a chance to enter the God-Demon Blood Pool.

Only two of them ever got the chance to try.

Only Aunt Meng succeeded.

Mei Yuanzhi would also follow a similar path. The road to becoming a god-demon was truly arduous.

If one could not enter Mount Yuanchu, they could only struggle on their own, accumulating merit to exchange for a chance to enter the 'God-Demon Blood Pool.'

In reality...

The three Core Condensation experts within Dongning Prefecture, including Yun Fucheng, remained in the prefecture living comfortable lives precisely because they had no hope of becoming gods or demons. Those with genuine potential were almost all fighting on battlefields.

"A leakless body and condensed core are merely prerequisites for becoming a god or demon," Meng Chuan murmured, closing his eyes. "The sooner I succeed, the better." "Let's begin."

Within his Dantian...

Dense internal energy converged there. After his body reached its mortal peak, the internal energy in his Dantian had also reached its limit.

"Rise!"

Under Meng Chuan's will, wisps of dense internal energy, like mist, began to merge with his 'saber intent.' Saber intent could qualitatively transform and shape internal energy. Therefore, comprehending 'intent' was a prerequisite for condensing a core.

Each wisp of internal energy condensed into what resembled a blade of light, their density significantly higher. They began to rotate and gather towards the center, like countless tiny fish swirling together.

"Condense!""Condense!"

Meng Chuan focused all his thoughts on manipulating this internal energy, exerting his full effort to condense and compress it as densely as possible. Once it reached a certain density, it would undergo a complete transformation.

As it continuously rotated and compressed, even some of the innermost 'blades of light' began to grind away and be squeezed into a single mass.

Rotate, compress, condense!

The 'saber intent' had to be strong enough to successfully condense the core; otherwise, it would disperse. Many powerful cultivators who had comprehended 'intent' could never condense a core in their lifetime.

Meng Chuan had comprehended saber intent at sixteen. In the past two years, through diligent daily practice and cultivating the incomplete moves of the 'Thunder World-Annihilating Saber,' he had made immense progress. This was why he could surpass Yan Jin even without using his soul power.

His saber intent was indeed very strong.

"Boom."

After more than half an hour of continuous rotation and compression, Meng Chuan faintly heard a rumbling sound. Within his Dantian, the numerous blades of internal energy, after extensive rotation and condensation, finally transformed into a tiny sphere. This was known as the 'Primal Core,' which appeared misty white. His internal energy had completely converted into primal essence, whose power was significantly greater.

Using the same techniques, primal essence combined with his physical body could unleash greater strength and speed, and much more formidable power.

"I succeeded," Meng Chuan said, opening his eyes and smiling. He extended a finger.

*Crackling sounds*

Lightning crackled and flashed at his fingertip.

"After condensing my core, I can finally project lightning outwards," Meng Chuan murmured. Previously, his lightning could only flow within his body, greatly increasing his speed. Now, he could release it to affect enemies.

If he were to become a god-demon, he could conjure a lightning bolt with a wave of his hand! It would be normal for him to transform entirely into lightning for travel.

"Next, there's only one final step to becoming a god-demon: the Gate of Life and Death," Meng Chuan said silently.

Every disciple of Mount Yuanchu was an extraordinary talent. They didn't need to desperately accumulate merit, but they had to be deemed to have absolute certainty of success before being allowed into the God-Demon Blood Pool.

In contrast, those with comparatively lesser talent, like Aunt Meng and Mei Yuanzhi, had to accumulate merit themselves to earn opportunities. Even if they weren't absolutely certain of success, they could still attempt the breakthrough, as these were chances they had earned with their lives.

From humanity's perspective, they were reluctant to waste the precious resources of the 'God-Demon Blood Pool' on individuals with low chances of success.

However, sometimes hope needed to be given!

"With a Thunder God-body, lightning will strike during the breakthrough in the God-Demon Blood Pool, making the Gate of Life and Death extremely difficult to pass," Meng Chuan thought to himself. "I must accumulate as profound a foundation as possible."

Standing by the window, gazing at the bright moon outside, Meng Chuan remained in good spirits.

The vow he made at six years old was now truly closer to becoming a reality.

Life in Dongning Prefecture was quite peaceful, and in many parts of the city, discussions began about the upcoming 'Jade Sun Palace Demon Slaying Assembly.' This assembly was held every three years! Last time, Meng Chuan and Yan Jin shone brightly, and these two prodigies had now both comprehended 'intent.' What about this time?

"I heard that Fengyang Dao Academy has a disciple named Zhang Fan, who comprehended a secret technique at seventeen. The Zhang family has produced another formidable figure!"

"That's nothing," another person countered. "Lieyang Dao Academy has a female archer named Liu Qiyue. She's not from a god-demon family, but she comprehended a secret technique at sixteen, even more talented. She should be the most remarkable one at this Jade Sun Palace Demon Slaying Assembly."

"Did you forget? I heard that this year, Young Masters Meng Chuan and Yan Jin will also make their final appearance on stage."

"Young Master Yan Jin is truly impressive; he even defeated three Core Condensation experts from our Dongning Prefecture. Young Master Meng Chuan also comprehended 'intent' almost simultaneously with him, which is quite remarkable."

"I, however, heard that Young Master Yan Jin has visited the Mirror Lake Meng Manor many times and has never won."

In a tea house late at night, people chatted enthusiastically.

At that moment, some people in Dongning Prefecture were clinking glasses in taverns, others sought pleasure in brothels and similar establishments, while ordinary folks had long since gone to sleep.

But at this very moment—

About five zhang beneath Dongning Prefecture, a certain area began to twist and distort. Dirt and stones crumbled into powder. On the other side of this distorted region, there were towering mountains and giant birds, dozens of zhang in wingspan, soaring through the sky. Soon, a black light leaped from a distant mountain and landed near the distorted area. It was a black-furred ape carrying a staff.

The black-furred ape gazed at the distorted space, a brutal glint in its eyes.