Chapter 438: Five Thunder Righteous Heaven Palm

Jiang Fan wondered, "Is that strange?"

"I've already perfected the Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer. What's wrong with breaking through to Core Formation?"

Liu Qingxian paused, "There's nothing wrong, but... but..." She was speechless for a moment.

It was indeed perfectly normal for someone who had perfected the Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer to break through to Core Formation. But she always felt there was something strange about it.

It wasn't until Jiang Fan closed the room door that she suddenly realized what was amiss: "But it's only been a few months! He's forming a core already?"

She still remembered the first time she met Jiang Fan at the spiritual pool in the Lord's Mansion of Lone Boat City. What was Jiang Fan's cultivation level back then? Only Foundation Establishment Seventh Layer! Counting carefully, only half a year had passed since then. Yet he was about to form a core?

Liu Qingxian had cultivated for many years, and only with the help of Jiang Fan's Qijing Powder had she finally managed to form her core. Otherwise, she would still be stuck at the Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer. Jiang Fan, however, had completed in just half a year what took her several years. Even with a Ninth-grade spiritual root, this cultivation speed was simply too exaggerated!

Back inside his room, Jiang Fan couldn't be bothered to clean up the mess on the floor. He sat cross-legged in a relatively spacious pit and began refining the Clear Void Pill.

Two hours later, as Jiang Fan dripped with sweat, a transparent spiritual pill, enveloped in flowing light and appearing extraordinarily mysterious, lay in his palm. This was the Fourth-grade spiritual pill, the Clear Void Pill! Upon consumption, it guaranteed a breakthrough to the Core Formation realm, with a chance to even reach the Core Formation Second Layer!

Filled with anticipation, he immediately swallowed it! As the medicinal effect took hold, the spiritual pond in his Dantian began to shrink rapidly. The one-mu-sized spiritual pond instantly shrunk to half its size, then continued to compress. Soon it was the size of a washbasin, and a moment later, the size of a fist. The spiritual energy within it was constantly being squeezed and pressed together as the spiritual pond compressed, becoming unprecedentedly solid.

When the spiritual pond became the size of an egg, it was difficult to compress it further. The spiritual energy pressing against each other within it could not be further condensed. Many people who took Vitality Pills failed at this very step. However, the Clear Void Pill's medicinal power was extremely potent. When the compression slowed, under the influence of the medicinal power, the spiritual pond suddenly contracted.

With a snap! The spiritual pond completely contracted into a spherical bead the size of a human eyeball, emitting a faint golden arc. This was precisely the source of power that only Core Formation realm cultivators possessed! The Golden Core!

At this moment, he had broken through to the Core Formation realm! From being an orphaned dependent in the Xu family, he had now become a powerful Core Formation realm cultivator capable of standing his ground in the land of the Nine Sects. He had finally reached this stage! If his father knew, he would surely be proud of him, right?

Suppressing a myriad of emotions, Jiang Fan circulated his cultivation method, absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy, because the breakthrough was not yet over. Perhaps it was because Jiang Fan had remained at the Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer for a long time, making his foundation incredibly solid. Only half of the medicinal power was consumed for the easy breakthrough. Therefore, the remaining medicinal power transformed into powerful spiritual energy, continuing to nourish the Golden Core.

As time passed bit by bit, when the last trace of medicinal power was exhausted, the Golden Core vibrated lightly with a hum. It suddenly expanded by a full circle. He had astonishingly broken through to the Core Formation Second Layer! For ordinary people, breaking through from Core Formation First Layer to Core Formation Second Layer would take at least half a year. The Clear Void Pill not only allowed him to break through to Core Formation, but it also saved him half a year of cultivation! His efforts to obtain the Seven-Colored Profound Ice and Void Lotus were not in vain.

It was just a pity... Jiang Fan glanced at the remaining Seven-Colored Profound Ice and the Void Lotus, of which not a single trace was left. Limited by the Void Lotus having only one petal, he had only refined one Clear Void Pill. If he had an entire flower, he could have refined at least ten. Whether given to Xu Youran and Chen Siling or sold, there would be immense benefits.

Putting away the Seven-Colored Profound Ice, Jiang Fan then took out the Heavenly Thunder Stone, observing the wisps of thunder power flowing on its surface. His eyes flashed, and he immediately absorbed this wisp of thunder power into his body. In a short while, all the meager thunder power entered his body, tempering it. But this was far from enough.

With a thought, he drew out a wisp of the powerful thunder tribulation that lingered in the spatial dimension. Thunder tribulation was incomparable to surface lightning arcs. As soon as it entered, his internal organs were struck with agonizing pain. He even spat out a mouthful of blood. It was clear without thinking that the thunder tribulation was too overbearing, destroying his internal organs. He quickly swallowed a Rejuvenation Pill, diverting the excess tribulation thunder into the meridians of his arms, just as he would in cultivating the Thunder Dragon Lightning Leg, where thunder power surged into the blood vessels of his legs.

Once the injuries within his body recovered, Jiang Fan once again introduced a wisp of thunder tribulation. His internal organs were once again subjected to destructive damage. The pain made him grimace. "Can anyone really master this palm technique?" Jiang Fan said, his face pale. When ordinary people drew in the first wisp of thunder tribulation, they would suffer severe internal injuries and might not even survive. Only because Jiang Fan had Rejuvenation Pills could he promptly save his life. Moreover, a similar process needed to be repeated at least nine times. Besides Jiang Fan, who would have so many Rejuvenation Pills available? Even if they did, who would be willing to use them all just to cultivate a single technique?

After this wisp of tribulation thunder was successfully refined, he introduced the third tribulation thunder. This process was repeated constantly. After the ninth wisp of tribulation thunder was refined, wisps of lightning power intermittently pulsed from the pores of his arms. He immediately began cultivating according to the "Three Pure Thunder Shadow" technique.

Shortly after, as he struck out with a palm, a palm print, densely interwoven with lightning, flew out at an extremely fast speed. With a bang, a charred, palm-shaped hole was immediately punched through the mud wall of the thatched hut! Furthermore, the palm print's momentum did not diminish, striking the courtyard wall. Boom— Even the residual palm print completely shattered the courtyard wall, causing it to collapse. For a moment, dust filled the air.

Liu Qingxian was startled and quickly ran inside, asking worriedly, "Xiao Fan, are you alright?"

Jiang Fan ceased his cultivation, stood up, and said, "I was cultivating a technique; I apologize for disturbing you, Senior Sister."

"A technique?" When Liu Qingxian noticed the charred black palm print on the wall, she couldn't help but gasp. This was clearly the mark of a lightning strike! But wasn't lightning-based cultivation the specialty of the Righteous Thunder Sect?

Just as she was about to ask, Lin Yuheng's surprised voice came from outside the courtyard. "Jiang Fan, what are you doing? Making such a huge commotion?"

Lin Yuheng and Luo Dongcheng stopped at the entrance of the small courtyard. Looking at the damaged wall, they exchanged glances.

Luo Dongcheng frowned, "Commissioner Lin, we're short on time. Did you come all this way just to see Jiang Fan?" They had completed their mission in Sunset City. Next, they needed to hurry to the Nine Sects to announce the rankings and redeem the disciples' rewards. Time was limited and quite pressing. However, Lin Yuheng insisted on coming here, saying Jiang Fan wanted to see him.

Lin Yuheng said, "It'll just be a quick word or two."

Soon, Jiang Fan rushed out upon hearing the commotion, carrying a bundle in his hand. Noticing Luo Dongcheng had also come, he hesitated for a moment and said, "This junior didn't know Commissioner Luo was also here. Please wait a moment; I'll prepare a gift for you too."

Luo Dongcheng waved his hand, "No need, no need. Just quickly say whatever you want to tell Commissioner Lin. This commissioner is short on time." Unlike Lin Yuheng, he wasn't interested in befriending Jiang Fan. In his eyes, Jiang Fan was just a disciple who performed well. Besides, what kind of gift could a young disciple offer? Nothing but worthless trinkets. Giving them to him would feel like a burden.

Jiang Fan nodded and exchanged pleasantries with Lin Yuheng.

Lin Yuheng sighed again, "When I have the chance, I'll find another Vitality Pill for you. I'll do my best to help you break through to the Core Formation realm."

Jiang Fan smiled and cupped his hands, "Thank you for your kindness, Senior Lin. This junior has already broken through to the Core Formation realm."

Lin Yuheng froze. Then she said in surprise, "You broke through with just one Vitality Pill? Are you that lucky? I find that a bit hard to believe." Theoretically, a Vitality Pill indeed had a thirty percent chance of facilitating a breakthrough. But most people found it difficult to succeed. Could Jiang Fan really have such good luck?

She raised her palm and lightly struck towards Jiang Fan, saying, "Take this!" She wanted to test if Jiang Fan had truly broken through to the Core Formation realm!

Jiang Fan was caught between laughter and tears, and could only meet her palm.

*Smack*— Commissioner Lin's palm strike was repelled. An expression of immense shock appeared on her face, as if she had seen a ghost. It wasn't because Jiang Fan had broken through to the Core Formation realm. But rather, he had broken through to...

Core Formation Second Layer!