Translator: AnubisTL
Li Qing watched Shen Ningbing enter the yin-yang cavern, her slender figure enveloped by the swirling yin-yang qi.
"I hope everything goes smoothly," he murmured. "If it does, my chances of core formation will increase significantly."
After careful calculation, he realized his preparations for core formation were truly astonishing.
First, he had inherited the soul core method from Elder Wu Yuan of the Lingyun Sect. Mastering this technique would noticeably improve his success rate.
Then there were the core formation spiritual materials. If he obtained the yin-yang spirit liquid here, he would possess two and a half portions: one full portion of yin-yang spirit liquid, one full portion of Azure Jade Spirit Water, and half a portion of Purple Mansion Spirit Liquid.
Next, he only needed to acquire a portion of Heavenly Fire Treasure Nectar and find a way to supplement the remaining half-portion of Purple Mansion Spirit Liquid. With these additions, he would have four different types of core formation spiritual materials!
Such an extraordinary number! Most cultivators attempting core formation would prepare only one or two spiritual materials, yet Li Qing had managed to gather four.
Of course, in addition to these, he also had ten drops of Golden Wind Jade Dew. While this substance couldn't compare to core formation spiritual materials, it could purify the true essence within his body, slightly increasing his chances of success.
Finally, during his time in the Imperial City, he had exchanged a golden blade talisman treasure with True Monarch Yue Xuan for a Pure Moon Pill, another item that could aid in core formation.
With all these preparations combined, Li Qing was confident that even a pig could successfully form its core!
As he contemplated his future dao path, a satisfied smile crept across Li Qing's lips.
"After all this painstaking preparation, I've likely surpassed even the princes of the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty in terms of readiness."
"If I still fail to form my core, then I'll simply accept it."
However, the moment his words faded, the dense yin-yang qi within the cavern suddenly erupted as if stimulated by some unknown force.
Boom!
Li Qing, who had just been basking in blissful anticipation of his future, froze in shock, utterly bewildered by what was happening.
"What's going on?"
"Junior Sister? What happened? Junior Sister?!"
Li Qing immediately stood up, his brow furrowed as he stared into the cavern.
However, the chaotic yin-yang qi swirling within completely obstructed his vision. Not only could he not see with his eyes, but even his divine sense couldn't penetrate the turbulent energy.
As he gazed at the violently surging yin-yang qi, Li Qing's heart skipped a beat, and his body gradually turned cold.
Just as he began to fear that something had happened to Shen Ningbing, she slowly emerged from the yin-yang qi, having only entered moments before.
Seeing this, Li Qing breathed a sigh of relief.
"So you're alright, Junior Sister. That's wonderful," he said, exhaling deeply.
If anything had happened to Shen Ningbing, he knew he would never forgive himself. After all, she had entered the yin-yang cavern for his sake.
Shen Ningbing's robes were slightly disheveled, her expression unsettled, and her aura remained turbulent.
Clearly, protecting herself amidst the raging yin-yang qi had been quite taxing.
Shen Ningbing spoke gravely, "Senior brother, the yin-yang qi here has reached a delicate balance. Any disturbance to their intertwined state could destabilize them, causing the yin-yang qi to erupt into chaos."
As her words faded, the turbulent yin-yang qi within the cavern gradually calmed, reforming into the taiji symbol.
Li Qing, witnessing this scene, opened his mouth slightly but remained silent.
How could this be happening?
Li Qing frowned deeply, a sense of disappointment creeping into his heart.
Shen Ningbing, who had just retreated, noticed Li Qing's expression. A resolute glint appeared in her eyes as she stepped forward again, moving toward the cavern's entrance.
She's not giving up. She still wants to try.
But after witnessing the destructive power of the yin-yang qi's eruption, how could Li Qing allow Shen Ningbing to risk herself again?
"Wait, junior sister! Don't rush," Li Qing called out urgently, his eyes flickering with concern.
"Senior brother, I want to try again," Shen Ningbing insisted, her voice firm.
"How could you be so reckless, Junior Sister? You're taking your life far too lightly!" Li Qing scolded, his brow furrowed.
Shen Ningbing murmured, "But the yin-yang spirit liquid is right there. Are we really going to give up now?"
Hearing this, Li Qing couldn't help but frown again.
No wonder Old Daoist Wood Dragon didn't choose to take the spirit liquid from the yin-yang cavern, he thought. It's simply too dangerous to enter.
True Lord Wood Dragon was a mid-stage core formation cultivator, his mana and true essence incomparably profound—far beyond what Shen Ningbing, who had only recently entered this realm, could match.
For Old Daoist Wood Dragon, enduring the chaotic surge of yin-yang qi after the imbalance would have been manageable. With some time and effort, he could likely have obtained the yin-yang spirit liquid without much difficulty.
But for Shen Ningbing, who had only recently achieved core formation, lingering inside for too long could have irreversible consequences.
Indeed, despite both being core formation cultivators, the gap between them was vast. While Shen Ningbing had just entered the realm, Old Daoist Wood Dragon was already at the mid-stage.
The higher one's cultivation level, the more pronounced the differences between minor stages became—this was no exaggeration.
After pondering for a long while, Li Qing finally spoke in a deep voice:
"Now, only two paths remain," Li Qing said bluntly before Shen Ningbing could ask.
"Either we leave now and return later when your cultivation is stronger to retrieve the Spirit Liquid."
Shen Ningbing frowned slightly. "But if we do that, True Lord Wood Dragon might return and take the peaches himself."
Li Qing chuckled bitterly. "Indeed. These core formation realm cultivators are all cunning and treacherous."
Yet he was helpless. After all, their agreement had been for information about the yin-yang spirit liquid, not the liquid itself.
True Lord Wood Dragon had already fulfilled his part by bringing them here.
If Li Qing failed to retrieve the spirit liquid and True Lord Wood Dragon later returned to claim it, there would be no grounds for complaint.
Treasures belong to the virtuous. If they lacked the ability to claim them, they would simply have to swallow their bitterness.
"The second option is for us to enter together!"
"Just now, I observed that when you entered, junior sister, the yin energy surged, disrupting the balance of yin-yang qi and destabilizing the terrain."
"Perhaps if we enter together, we can help balance the yin-yang qi."
But this would mean taking a considerable risk. With his late foundation establishment realm cultivation, Li Qing doubted he could withstand the destructive force of the rampaging yin-yang qi. After all, even Shen Ningbing, with her higher cultivation, had struggled to cope.
"Enter together to balance the yin-yang qi?" Shen Ningbing asked, her expression troubled. "Senior brother, this is just a guess, right? If you're wrong, I can't guarantee I can protect you."
She didn't want Li Qing to put himself in danger.
"At this point, it's the only option we have," Li Qing replied. "Don't worry about me. If things get too dangerous, I'll just retreat into the Black Furnace."
"And if even that fails, we'll have to abandon the yin-yang spirit liquid here."
As he spoke, Li Qing retrieved a dark, ancient-looking forge from his storage pouch.
The Black Furnace!
Shen Ningbing was intimately familiar with this unadorned forge. It was the very furnace that had saved her and Li Qing's lives when they used the Void-Piercing Talisman to reach the Great Wilderness Domain. Its durability was so extraordinary that it could withstand the turbulent spatial currents of dimensional travel—a truly remarkable feat.
Only after Li Qing produced the Black Furnace did Shen Ningbing nod in agreement to his proposal.
"Senior brother, please don't stray too far from me once we're inside," Shen Ningbing said earnestly.
"Mm, I understand!" Li Qing nodded, then began preparing.
He first patted his spirit beast pouch and released Fan Tong.
"You oaf! Guard the entrance here. No matter what happens, do not enter. Understand?"
"Awoo!" Fan Tong howled in acknowledgment, then obediently settled down at the cave mouth.
Fan Tong's strength was now on the verge of reaching the late second-tier. He was just one step away from becoming a late second-tier Demon beast, but taking that final step would require a considerable amount of time.
Seeing how obedient Li Qing's pet beast was, Shen Ningbing couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.
The Frost Jade Ice Butterfly she had raised was far too proud and aloof. She had originally planned to fully subdue the ice butterfly after achieving core formation.
However, two years ago, Li Qing had given her a second-tier crimson crystal. After consuming the crystal, the Frost Jade Ice Butterfly had cocooned itself and entered a deep slumber, showing no signs of emerging to this day.
If not for their mental connection, Shen Ningbing would have feared the ice butterfly had perished!
"Alright, let's go in!"
With that, the two walked side by side, slowly advancing deeper into the yin-yang cavern.
Ahead, the dense yin-yang qi intertwined, forming a naturally balanced Taiji diagram.
As Li Qing gazed at this natural Taiji diagram, he couldn't help but frown.
"Although the yin-yang qi here appears balanced, it can be easily disrupted. It's still not perfect."
Narrowing his eyes, Li Qing suddenly had an epiphany, recalling the Taiji yin-yang diagram he had seen in his previous life.
"No, true balance requires a speck of yang within yin and a speck of yin within yang!"
"Only then can yin and yang truly harmonize!"
A bold idea surged within Li Qing's mind. He turned to Shen Ningbing beside him and said:
"Junior sister, you take the yang energy side, and I'll take the yin energy side! Let's switch positions and try it!"
Shen Ningbing's crimson lips parted in astonishment, clearly shocked by Li Qing's daring proposal.
"Senior brother, are you sure?"
The more Li Qing considered it, the more convinced he became. Without hesitation, he nodded firmly. "I'm certain!"
A speck of yang within yin, a speck of yin within yang—he intended to use his own body as the seed to balance the yin-yang qi!
(End of the Chapter)
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