CHAPTER 47: CHAPTER 47: GOLDEN CORE NINTH RANK

Deep within the mountain’s belly, a sky embellished by gemstones twinkled with a starlight utterly distinct from that of the outside world.

Beneath this starlight, Shi Ji sat cross-legged, her fiery red Daoist robe like flames, her gaze flowing as she eyed the peculiar and mischievous child before her, wondering why she should bother to clear up his confusion, considering he is a disciple of the Chan Sect.

After a moment of silence, just when Nezha felt perhaps he was overly confident—assuming that since Shi Ji had helped before, she would surely lend a hand again, and thus felt a bit disappointed—Shi Ji finally persuaded herself.

She found Nezha pleasing to look at, so she decided to help him.

Shi Ji spoke, "As previously mentioned, Cultivators endure lonesome hardships, severing all seven emotions and six desires for the sole sake of pursuing immortality. After forming a Golden Core, one can then use its power to temper the body, slowing down the aging process. Even the worst First Grade Golden Core can extend one’s lifespan to five hundred years."

Nezha asked, "Use the power of the Golden Core to temper the body? Your Grace, are there ranks among Golden Cores too?"

No sooner had the words fallen, Shi Ji flicked her right index finger, and Nezha felt a pain on his forehead. As he touched it with his hand, Shi Ji continued, "Listen to me and don’t rush. Why the hurry?"

"It is told that in ancient times, under the Harmonization Tree, a gathering of grandmasters convened to discuss the Dao.

At that moment, all was peaceful in heaven and earth, everything silent. Suddenly, from the eastern horizon, a heavenly sun slowly rose, its light like silk, its color like gold, illuminating in all directions, brimming with vitality.

The grandmaster, witnessing this extraordinary scene, had a moment of enlightenment, and thus he composed this work, known as the ’Golden Core Heaven Sun Scripture’, consisting of three parts: ’Dawn of the Heavenly Sun’, ’Golden Light of the Dao’, and ’Harmonization with the One’, comprising three parts and six volumes in total.

Cultivators meditate upon this scripture, and if they have sufficient talent and opportunity, they may then comprehend the way of the Golden Core."

Nezha then asked, "With such complications, can’t a master simply comprehend and pass it on to his disciple, thus saving the time spent sitting in meditation and reading scriptures?"

Under the starlight, the air inside the cave grew increasingly clear and bright.

Shi Ji sighed softly, her tone indifferent, "It seems heaven’s will is indeed unpredictable. With your lazy disposition, you have the heart to seek the Dao but lack the intent towards it, yet you’ve managed to progress so swiftly on the path of cultivation."

Nezha laughed, "Your Grace does me a disservice to say so. Laziness is a common human trait, and though I may be lazy in spirit, I am diligent physically, not daring to slack in my daily cultivation and meditation."

Shi Ji scoffed, "Eloquent words you have there, but the way of the Golden Core is not something that can be taught; it must be understood by oneself. Otherwise, all the Cultivators in the God Absorption Realm by now, including your good-for-nothing Mr. Fan, would most likely have reached the Golden Core Realm."

Hearing Shi Ji say this, Nezha could only respond with a wry smile.

Cultivating for decades without forming a Golden Core was nearly Mr. Fan’s obsession.

Shi Ji continued, "Simply being enlightened to the technique of the Golden Core is not enough; when condensing the Golden Core, one must be aided by a variety of Spiritual Objects containing Life Essence. The firmer the foundation of the core and the more Life Essence it has, if the Cultivator themselves is also resilient enough, then a high-quality Golden Core can be formed.

And then, from the least to the best, Golden Cores are divided into nine grades.

First, second and third grades are considered low-grade Golden Cores. After a Cultivator grasps the method of the Golden Core, with some fortune and the aid of Spiritual Objects that contribute to core formation, the Core can be achieved."

Grades four, five, and six are considered Middle Grade Golden Cores. In order to form a Middle Grade Golden Core, not only does the Cultivator need to possess remarkable perseverance and peerless talent, but they also need great fortune to gather numerous Spiritual Treasures.

While grade seven and eight are known as Top-grade Golden Cores, the power of the Golden Core surpasses that of a Middle Grade Golden Core beyond comparison. Among the cultivators in the world, those capable of forming such a core are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Given time, they are almost certainly fated to become a Great Cultivator renowned in the Cultivation World."

Nezha felt his mouth dry and involuntarily swallowed when he heard this, asking, "Then, what about the ninth grade?"

Shi Ji folded his hands atop his knees and spoke gravely, "The ninth grade is the Supreme Golden Core, also known as the Nine-Pattern Divine Pill. In nearly three hundred years, among all the cultivators I’ve seen and heard of, only Yang Jian, a disciple under the True Monarch Jade Ding of the Golden Dawn Cave on Jade Spring Mountain, has achieved it. With the power of the Nine-grade Golden Core, he forged his body several times over, and with the Nine Revolutions Primordial Skill, he cultivated an indestructible saintly body that few of his peers in the Three Teachings could match."

Upon hearing the name of Yang Jian, Nezha’s heart surged with emotion.

In all the stories he had heard from a young age, Erlang Xiansheng True Monarch Yang Jian was among the top for martial prowess. Even that monkey from Journey to the West, who caused a great uproar in Heaven Palace and whom all the gods struggled to subdue, dare not claim he could defeat him.

Seeing the look of longing on Nezha’s face, Shi Ji chuckled and shook his head, saying, "Do not compare yourself to Yang Jian. When he first began to cultivate his Qi Sea, he opened his eyes to see a vast lake. His natural talent was unparalleled, and it is said that his mind is firm and his wits keen. Furthermore, hailing from a prestigious lineage, he had unfettered access to the resources of the Chan Sect, and it was with such fortuitous coincidences that he managed to cultivate the Supreme Golden Core.

If all cultivators were to compare themselves to him, wouldn’t it be a cause for despondency?

Not to mention far-off examples, let’s talk about Ao Bing nearby. After a hundred years of arduous cultivation with considerable talent and the Dragon Palace of the East Sea having collected the Four Seas’ divine treasures at great expense, he only managed to form a Six-grade Golden Core when he formed his core.

Even so, he is considered a genius, but he hasn’t even stepped over the threshold of a Top-grade Golden Core."

Nezha furrowed his brows and bit his lip, puzzlingly asking, "Six-grade Golden Core? You said earlier that Ao Bing had entered the Loose Immortal Realm, and spoke highly of his Six-grade Golden Core, but when I fought against him, I didn’t feel he was that powerful?"

In his heart, he was indeed perplexed, but when others heard these words, they would only feel he was asking for a beating.

Presumably inheriting some of Shi Ji’s straightforward nature, Bi Yun felt that Nezha was asking for a beating, so she raised her hand and smacked Nezha on the head.

Seeing Nezha holding his forehead, puzzled, Shi Ji explained, "Don’t glare at me. Usually, for an ordinary cultivator at the God Absorption Realm, their fleshly body isn’t much different from ordinary people. If I had struck down just now, I would’ve shattered his skull, and it wouldn’t be as simple as just swelling."

Nezha clicked his tongue in secret. Compared to what Shi Ji had just said, he noticed the casual and seemingly light slap she had delivered.

He hadn’t been distracted from the beginning, but before he could even consider dodging, he had been hit.

In other words, if Shi Ji had intended to kill him, at that moment, he would already be dead.

Shi Ji was unaware of what was going through Nezha’s head. She pinched her right thumb at the first segment of her index finger and calmly held it before her chest, continuing to say, "You rascal, I don’t know where you got such fortune from, having been born with physical strength and resilience unmatched even by those in the Golden Core Realm. Although Ao Bing was born a member of the Dragon Clan, in order to practice the Mystic Skills of our Taoist ways, he still needs to take a human form. This transformed physique, although capable of utilizing Taoist Divine Skills, is not as robust as his innate dragon body. Had he not used Golden Core Power to temper his body, he would have been defeated by the brute strength of your body when comparing Martial Arts."

Nezha said, "Does the Empress mean that if one day I reach the Golden Core Realm and then use the Golden Core Power to refine my body, this physique can become even more powerful?"

Shi Ji nodded indifferently; she had to admit that there was something exceptional about Nezha’s body.

She added, "However, as mentioned earlier, Ao Bing has entered the Loose Immortal Realm. The reason you won that battle is that you capitalized on the fact that he had just stepped into the Loose Immortal Realm and had not yet mastered any Loose Immortal Divine Skills."

Nezha asked, "Are these Loose Immortal Divine Skills what the Empress referred to as that barrier of immortal Dao?"