Chapter 82: Golden Core First Transformation

In the Abyss World, most of its power had been stripped away by the explosive release of potent karmic energy from the Violet Lotus of Reincarnation. Now, faced with the rapid absorption of the blue lotus, it had utterly lost any ability to resist.

Qin Shu sensed this and knew that the blue lotus was about to complete its transformation. He directly entered the Five Elements Formation, sitting cross-legged atop the lotus seedpod.

Xiao Yan had also been summoned to stay by his side.

The Five Flags materialized, hovering above each of the five lotus leaves.

Five lotus seeds circled around Qin Shu as the Karma Cauldron merged into the lotus seedpod.

An azure light then illuminated the entire world before rapidly contracting. The Cyan Lotus Dao Seed condensed into one of the lotus seeds, growing to the size of an entire room.

It continued to shrink, becoming thumb-sized, and then, carrying all the treasures that had evolved within it, merged into Qin Shu’s forehead.

With a flash of golden light, he was teleported back to the God Soul Continent, appearing on Qingping Island just before the world shattered.

Before him, golden light shimmered around a stone stele standing upright.

The World Will’s reward, the Stone Stele of Martial Arts—it seemed as if it had heard Qin Shu’s thoughts in the Abyss World, specifically granted to him in acknowledgment.

This wasn’t an excessively precious item; based on materials alone, it was merely a fourth-order treasure. It seemed disproportionate to Qin Shu’s achievement of killing five sixth-order Abyssal creatures.

But upon seeing the martial arts will revealed inscribed upon it, Qin Shu felt it was worth far more.

Primordial Fist and Primordial Spear Technique!

An unparalleled fist technique and an unparalleled spear technique, intertwined in their principles.

However, only the first level was contained within.

It wasn’t that the world will was stingy, but rather this technique had only a single level. The remainder required the inheritor to comprehend it themselves.

In essence, it was a martial technique that greatly tested one’s aptitude for enlightenment. The mentor could only guide the student through the gate; true understanding lay in the individual’s hands.

What you could grasp became your own.

Regardless of its power, it would always be the most suitable martial path for yourself.

Before he could even stow away the stele of martial arts, feedback from the cyber lotus Dao seed’s transformation arrived.

Suppressing this feedback with great force, Qin Shu instead pulled out the Karma Cauldron and dumped eighteen tons of refined gold into it.

With Xiao Yan’s assistance, he began refining the gold into its elemental essence.

Then, in a sudden motion, he drew in a deep breath.

This was the essence from eighteen tons of refined metal, transformed into GOLD QI—the kind that could engulf him in an instant.

Yet he hesitated not for a moment. The qi of GENG and XIN metals entered his body through his nostrils, like twin dragons coiling within.

Pain—excruciating agony tore through him, drenching his body in blood in a heartbeat.

It was then that the power of Feng Shui began to manifest.

The fortune force latent in his flesh and blood erupted, counteracting the destructive power of the golden qi. As it shredded his body, this very same qi was instantly mended by the fortune force.

At this moment, a thousand knives and ten thousand blades were woefully inadequate to describe his condition.

Agony, so profound it pierced his very soul.

The fortune force ignited into a blazing inferno, consuming his body in a cycle of destruction and renewal.

Once again, his flesh was tempered in the crucible of fate.

The golden qi didn’t merely rip apart his muscles and flesh, it even stripped the tendons from his bones, reducing him to a mere husk.

Qin Shu’s pain was so intense that he felt numb, yet despite a longing to slip into unconsciousness, his mind remained clear and focused.

His body seemed to have ceased being his own, the torment worse than death itself.

Yet this was the essence of the Immortal Body—the more intensely he suffered, the stronger his physical form would become upon rebirth.

His body had already undergone this ninefold tempering process, mirroring the Nine Revolutions of the Golden Core.

Within his dantian, Gold Qi began to seep in.

The Karma True Fire blazed as Qin Shu unconsciously channeled his divine sense into a hammer, striking and refining the Golden Core.

Under the combined forging of Gold Qi, Karma True Fire, and divine sense, the Golden Core’s glow became unbearably bright.

As the last wisp of Gold Qi dissipated, exactly eighty-one days had passed.

In other words, Qin Shu had voluntarily endured eighty-one days of unspeakable torment.

When he finally awoke, his mind was still shrouded in a haze.

He felt as though his body had been destroyed countless times, dying over and over again, only to be pulled back from death’s door each time.

As consciousness and body reunited, he knew without a doubt that he was still alive.

The agony of being carved into thousands of pieces yet refusing to die was indescribable.

But such was the price he had to pay.

One might ask: In all the God Soul Continent, which awakened being had ever dared to use twenty-seven tons of gold essence in their first Ascension?

And for the remaining eighteen tons, he would consume it all in one go.

If not for the feedback power from the Cyan Lotus Dao Seed, he would have perished countless times by now.

However, it was precisely because he knew this power could shield him from death that he dared to court such reckless behavior.

The cost had been paid, and the rewards were immense.

He felt the surging strength of his one-stage Golden Core, the ninefold expansion of his lower dantian’s sea of qi, and his divine sense, now extended to a radius of over sixty miles.

All of this made it more than worthwhile.

Not to mention how his Immortal Body, after being tempered by gold qi, had become even more formidable.

Now, with his physical strength alone, he dared to challenge sixth-rank Abyssal monsters head-on.

In a word: exhilarating!

As he rose, his bones cracked like thunder.

Refining the Moon Gold Wheel, cultivating, and delving into the Abyss—time had slipped by imperceptibly for three and a half years.

In other words, he hadn’t seen his family for three and a half years.

Fortunately, knowing he would be in seclusion, he had left ample medicinal pills with his eldest sister and the others, ensuring the Qin Clan Pill Pharmacy wouldn’t close its doors.

Now, there was a pressing matter at hand: implanting the five lotus seeds into his family’s sea of consciousness, to serve as spiritual souls.

Among them, the Samsara Violet Lotus, imbued with Houtu’s power of reincarnation, ranked equivalent to a five-colored Mythical Grade spiritual soul.

The others were also Sunlight Grade, specifically Golden Core Sunlight Grade.

Moreover, as the Azure Lotus Dao Seed matured, these souls would grow stronger alongside it.

After storing away the Martial Arts Stele, he immediately teleported to the Qin Manor, striding purposefully towards home.

“Xiaoshu, you’ve finally emerged from seclusion,” Second Uncle Qin Jie greeted him warmly.

“What’s going on, Second Uncle?” Qin Shu asked.

Qin Jie explained, “The Ye Family has proposed a marriage to Xiaoyu, suggesting a deeper alliance through kinship. I heard you had some matters to attend to and wanted to wait for your decision. But three and a half years in seclusion? No wonder everyone’s getting anxious!”

“A marriage proposal? Does my eldest sister even agree to it?” Qin Shu furrowed his brow.

“With the Ye Family involved, what choice would she have?” Qin Jie replied. If it were Qin Yue being proposed to, I’d have accepted immediately, he thought.

Qin Shu noticed a shift in his second uncle – he seemed more materialistic, yet lacking in worldly experience.

“What do my parents say about this?” he asked.

“Your parents also say to wait for you to return, Xiaoshu,” Qin Jie responded.

“They’re not forcing the marriage, are they?” Qin Shu continued, concerned.

Qin Jie shook his head. “No, not at all. They’re always so polite when they visit. Do you know who’s been pursuing Xiaoyu? It’s Ye Liushang, the one with the myth-ranked bicolor spiritual soul, the Pearl of Water Control! Can you believe it? He’s actually ten years younger than Xiaoyu!”

“Is that so?!” Qin Shu chuckled as they walked together. “I suppose it’s fine if my sister agrees. After all, one can’t be forced into marriage. Second Uncle, I’ve reached my home now. Would you like to come in for a visit?”

His tone was slightly stiff.

“No need. You’ve just returned, and this is the time for family reunion. I wouldn’t want to intrude on your celebration.”

He meant well, thinking that if ordinary Qin Yu could bear a child to the Ye family’s genius, the offspring might inherit the spiritual soul’s talent. Wouldn’t that elevate her status through her children’s success?

Unfortunately, his narrow perspective sometimes led to unintended consequences despite his good intentions.

Qin Shu, though understanding his uncle’s concern, didn’t share his view.

“Mom, Dad, I’m home!” he called out as he entered the yard.

“Back so soon!” Wang Yurou hurried outside. Qin Shu had been in seclusion for over three years; their reunion was a heartwarming surprise. “Your father went to the God of Wealth Shopping Mall. It’s just me here, but I’ll call everyone back.”

“No need, Mom. Let’s talk first. There’s no rush to bring them back now.”

After all, Qin Shu wasn’t leaving anytime soon. He planned to rest for a while and relax his mind and body.

Meanwhile, Qin Hao was already fourteen, almost half his brother’s age when he last saw him. He wondered if his younger brother had become a teenager now. Before he left, Qin Hao was only eleven, not even 150 centimeters tall.

Qin Shu asked, “I heard from Second Uncle that the Ye family proposed a marriage alliance? Is that true?”