With that, Han Li Li and Crooked Soul quickly fled away out of the formation in the Divine Wind Boat. After flying for only fifteen meters, Han Li plunged the boat into the ocean and submerged himself about a hundred meters down.
Afterwards, he put away his Divine Wind boat and took out aura-severing red muslin cloth, wrapping it around Crooked Soul and himself. They then used the nameless incantation to restrain their Qi.
Not long after this was done, a formidable and wrathful spiritual sense arrived nearby, searching from up above the nearby sea.
Although the spiritual sense made a fine examination, its owner was unable to find any trace of Han Li or Crooked Soul. After furiously sweeping his spiritual sense through the nearby area once more, he hurriedly rushed away to another area.
After this, Han Li finally felt truly at ease. Naturally, he wouldn’t foolishly make a sudden emergence from the sea. Instead, he released a blue light barrier to separate him and Crooked Soul from the ocean and had Crooked Soul enter meditation.
The concealment within the ocean lasted for over half a month.
During those days, the owner of the huge spiritual sense was unwilling to give up and repeatedly searched the nearby seas several times. But as Han Li had always noticed him coming and had restrained his Qi beforehand, he was never successful.
Now that the spiritual sense hadn’t appeared for several days, Han Li finally dared to move.
After slowly travelling over fifty kilometers away, he finally flew out of the seawater, got his bearings, and flew off at his greatest speed.
Naturally, he couldn’t return to Stalwart Star Island, and would have to find somewhere else to stay. Although he didn’t know what sort of shameful relationship the Six United Palace’s Elder Gu and Elder Miao had with the youth named Wu Chou, they would be certain to kill and silence him. But since a Foundation Establishment cultivator such as himself couldn’t compare to the remaining two Core Formation cultivators, it would be better to travel far away from the scope of their influence.
It was truly unfortunate to lose his three magic formation tool sets and his Immortal’s cave at Minor Expanse Island. With the addition of the lost magic tools during his fight with Elder Gu, Han Li had suffered a truly great loss!
As Han Li flew as fast as he could, he laughed at himself with a bitter smile.
But when compared to the disastrous fates of the other Foundation Establishment cultivators, he couldn’t complain! He managed to preserve his own life.
While Han Li was consoling himself, his heart suddenly stirred and he took out Elder Gu’s storage pouch. During the previous period under the ocean, Han Li had been apprehensive and hadn’t examined the storage pouch as a result. Now was the time to take a look. Surely a Core Formation cultivator couldn’t be too poor. With some luck, he might even be able to more than recoup his losses.
After slowly sinking his spiritual sense into the storage pouch, Han Li found eighty mid-grade spirit stones and grew mad with joy.
This Elder Gu was truly quite wealthy! He actually carried such a great amount of spirit stones!
Could it be that Elder Gu was like himself and carried all of his belongings on his person? If this were the case, this would be an ordinary amount of spirit stones for a Core Formation cultivator.
With that in mind, Han Li shifted his attention away from the spirit stones to the other items in the pouch.
There was a yellow, inch-tall jade bottle, two talismans respectively sparkling with yellow and blue light, a book, and an orb sparkling with blue radiance. As for the rest of the items, they were of little value.
The book wasn’t anything special. It was a high layer cultivation art, Earthfire Technique. Although it couldn’t be said to be common, it was something that he definitely wouldn’t cultivate.
Much to Han Li’s joy, the two talismans turned out to be treasure talismans, despite him not knowing their names. One of them had a small golden sword drawn on it, and the other had a blue flood dragon.
Han Li then took out the sphere and played around with it for a moment. Eventually, he became certain that it was the core of a grade five demon beast, a very precious item.
Lastly, there was the small, unremarkable bottle. When Han Li opened the small yellow bottle, he spotted five thumb-sized yellow pills. These pills were identical to one another, brightly colored, perfectly shaped, and had a fantastic medicinal scent.
“Dustfall Pills!” Han Li stared at the pills in his hand in complete astonishment..
Although he hadn’t seen this item before, the pills perfectly matched the description found in the “Pill Dao Evaluations”. What else could they possibly be?
Chapter 385: Sea Ape Island
Han Li gently held the pill between two fingers and brought it to his eye, carefully examining it before revealing a faint smile.
It seemed that the fight to flee wasn’t a wasted effort. As he had acquired several Dustfall Pills, the odds of his Core Formation should somewhat increase.
After properly putting away the medicine pills, Han Li carefully stored away the bottle in his storage pouch.
Now, Han Li had to find a location that was both safe and had an abundance of Spiritual Qi. So long as either Han Li or Crooked Soul managed to reach Core Formation, they would have a chance when fighting against any Core Formation cultivator that wished to hunt them down.
However, Core Formation wasn’t something that could be accomplished in a short amount of time. Other than genius cultivators blessed with heavenly spiritual roots, other cultivators require enough spirit medicines and time to break through the bottleneck.
Spirit Snow Water and Liquid Heavenfire are two such materials required for cultivators that wished to form their core.
While they aren’t required in order to succeed in Core Formation, the success-rate without them was so miniscule that it would cause cultivators to spit blood. Although there wasn’t an official statistic, it is said to be less than one percent.
Apart from these two items, many other spirit medicines can also be taken to increase the odds of success for Core Formation, but none of them were as effective as Spirit Snow Water and Liquid Heavenfire.
Unfortunately, taking multiples of these medicines would prove to have no effect. It wasn’t like refining Qi during meditation where it was optimal to take appropriate amounts of other spirit medicines. In fact, it would most likely prove to have an opposite effect.
But what was laughable was not only were the effects of the other medicines far inferior to that of the Spirit Snow Water and Liquid Heavenfire, they required herbs that were more rare and harder to find. In addition, these medicines would often require several thousand-year-old herbs to create.
Ordinary cultivators wouldn’t have such mighty spending power! At best, they would have one or two luxurious additions to their Spirit Snow Water and Liquid Heavenfire.
Of course, this didn’t pose a problem for Han Li. Apart from the pills requiring a few rare spirit herbs he didn’t have or had never heard of, he had refined over ten spiritual medicines to aid in Core Formation, all of which were now safely stored inside his storage pouch.
But what was most surprising was that these medicines didn’t require Innate Truefire to be refined. They were simply mixed together like ordinary medicines of the mortal world. In addition, these pill formulas could easily be found in ancient records. When Han Li initially found them, he was stunned for quite a while; even to this day, he was still left puzzled.
As for the five Dustfall Pills he acquired, they were extremely rare supplementary medicines that all cultivators nearing Core Formation desired.
However, even with the aid of these many medicine pills, the probability of success in Core Formation wouldn’t be vastly higher than those without. According to Han Li’s research, his mind bogglingly extravagant method of Core Formation would only raise his odds of success by ten percent at most when compared to other cultivators.
On the whole, takin
g medicine should be a bit better than not, but this was only Han Li’s opinion.
Additionally, Core Formation wasn’t something that could be concluded in merely ten days or half a month. According to ancient records and the Core Formation experience of Li Huayuan, Han Li’s former master, it would take about three to five years to conclude. The specific duration would depend on an individual’s own aptitude.
From here on out, he would have to avoid feeling great emotion, avoid any battles with others, and find a place with acceptable Spiritual Qi.
Thus, it was imperative that Han Li found an island to seclude himself and attempt Core Formation, even if it were somewhat sparse regarding Spiritual Qi.
With that in mind, Han Li took out a jade slip that contained a huge map of the seas with Stalwart Star Island and the other two main islands at the center.
Han Li submerged his spiritual sense into the slip for quite some time. After eventually finding his approximate location, he then searched for remote, small sized islands.
After the time it took to cook a meal, Han Li withdrew his spiritual sense from the jade slip with a thoughtful expression.
He looked at the seas and the blazing sun in the sky before finding his desired direction, turning into a streak of white light and disappearing across the horizon.
Along the way, Han Li stopped at a few desolate islands to recover his magic power. He avoided any islands that were inhabited, as he was fearful he of leaving behind traces for anyone pursuing him.
After changing direction several times, Han Li finally found the region he wished to travel to and quickly flew off.
……
Two months later, Han Li and Crooked Soul appeared above a remote island.
This island wasn’t nearly as large as Stalwart Star Island, but it was quite a bit larger than ordinary small islands, barely large enough to be considered a medium sized island. It was the “Sea Ape Island” that Han Li had endured a long, arduous journey for.
The island had few mortals and no cultivators above Qi Condensation, along with no island lord to speak of. It was a place of freedom where everyone could come and go as they pleased. As for the island’s name, the nearby seas were occupied by the particularly strange low-grade demon beast, Sea Apes.
This demon beast was almost entirely the same as a common ape, apart from its ability to use the low-grade Water Arrow magic technique and its considerable intelligence. By adulthood, it was nearly as intelligent as an eight-year old child, and cultivators are fond of capturing them to act as workers for their immortal’s cave.
Although Sea Apes are considered demon beasts, they are capable of being easily subdued by sixth layer Qi Condensation cultivators. As such, a few small ships would arrive annually, hiring low grade cultivators to capture and sell the beasts.
There were a few small merchants that had collectively set up a formation spell on the island and had established a long storefront that bought living Sea Apes year long. Every so often, a ship would arrive and leave with a large quantity of Sea Apes.
As such, the island became a gathering point for low-grade cultivators striving to acquire spirit stones.
But after a formation spell was established, rogue cultivators came to Sea Ape Island for long term residence as it contained a massive spirit vein of fair quality. Although the spirit vein couldn’t be said to be exceptional, it was so large and broad that the entire island was suitable for low-grade cultivation.
As for spirit wells or any other dense areas of Spiritual Qi, Sea Ape Island was largely lacking when compared to other islands. Thus, it didn’t invite conflict with any high-grade cultivators.
With sparse Spiritual Qi and the mere local specialty of sea apes, it naturally escaped the notice of greater powers and became a free land of low-grade cultivators. Although a Foundation Establishment or Core Formation cultivator would occasionally arrive at the island, they were mostly just passing through.
This island made for an exceptionally good place for Han Li to hide and undergo Core Formation!
……
Two days later, Han Li stood on the peak of some desolate mountain on the island. As he gazed at his newly created temporary cave dwelling, he felt great satisfaction.
Apart from a simple medicine garden and two secret rooms, there weren’t any other complex designs.
Han Li used a formation tool set to lay down an ordinary concealment formation spell at the cave’s entrance and carefully released his two “Bloodjade Spiders” from his storage pouch, setting them to guard the entrance of his cave.
Having undergone years of nurturing, the two white spiders had grown to the size of his head and had ascended two grades, becoming high grade one demon beasts capable of easily dealing with ordinary Qi Condensation cultivators. Han Li had left all of his other wondrous bugs behind at his true Immortal’s cave on Minor Expanse island.
Han Li guessed that those who sought to either silence him or avenge Elder Gu would definitely search his Immortal’s cave at Minor Expanse Island.
Although the false and true Immortal’s cave were concealed by three great formations, they wouldn’t be able to withstand a Core Formation cultivator’s attacks for long. As for his false Immortal’s cave, it would undoubtedly be revealed.
But according to Han Li’s estimations, there was a fifty percent chance of his true Immortal’s cave remaining hidden.
This was because the passageway to his true Immortal’s cave was concealed by mortal mechanisms rather than any easily perceived formation spells. Its entrance was cleverly blocked by a huge, engraved stone chair.
If someone were to only inspect his false Immortal’s cave, Han Li was completely confident that they wouldn’t find anything amiss. But if a particularly meticulous examiner were to come, it may prove unfortunate.
After all, the other mountain contained wondrous bugs with a unique aura. It definitely wouldn’t be concealed from the strong spiritual sense of a Core Formation cultivator.
Although Han Li was unwilling to let go of the wondrous bugs he hadn’t been able to tame, he could only resign himself to fate.
Even if they weren’t fed for six years, they should still be able to survive. Such a situation situation had occurred before!
With those dim thoughts in mind, Han Li and Crooked Soul each entered their own respective rooms.
Chapter 386: Core Formation in Four Years
Han Li meditated for several days in his hidden room before taking the spirit medicines. After reaching his peak state, he took out a small bottle of Liquid Heavenfire.
He lifted his head and placed a few drops into his mouth before hastily putting away the bottle. He then closed his eyes, waiting for the medicinal power to flare. Shortly after, Han Li felt his meridians start to scald. His true origin had turned into something like boiling water and started to quickly flow through his meridians.
Han Li was initially dumbstruck, but he hastily took out an unknown spiritual medicine and instantly swallowed it down. Afterwards, he started to cultivate the Azure Essence Sword Art in an attempt to break through his bottleneck.
The day that Han Li broke through to the seventh layer, would be the day that Han Li reached Core Formation stage.
Before this, Han Li had instructed Crooked Soul in the neighboring room to also take the Liquid Heavenfire and other spiritual medicines with his spiritual sense.
The Divine Blood Light that Crooked Soul cultivated was considered a quick success Devil Dao cultivation art. Normally, there would be no possibility of Core Formation, but with the [Five Elements Blood Cores], his chances of Core Formation were the same as Han Li’s.
Crooked Soul didn’t use a cultivation art to form a core, he instead swallowed the Five Elements Blood Cores and refined the cores’ power to form a fiend core.
But in contrast, as his Core Formation process was much simpler than Han Li’s, Han Li didn’t need to pay further attention to Crooked Soul after giving out his orders.
Altho
ugh Han Li’s success in Core Formation was uncertain, he was still going to make a serious attempt. Even if he were to fail, he would accumulate a large amount of experience for his next attempt.
With that thought, Han Li gradually shut out all sense of the external world and deeply sank into bitter cultivation.
At that moment, Han Li became completely oblivious to both time and the outside world.
Time passed day by day, as springs passed and winters arrived...
Four years later, Sea Ape Island was quite lively and disordered. There was a faint atmosphere of excitement present in the island’s city and the docks.
At the time of noon that day, on a remote mountain on the island, a scene occurred that left a cultivator in secluded cultivation dumbstruck.
He saw the faraway cloudless dark blue skies suddenly filled with clouds and wind!
A dense, black cloud had appeared out of nowhere, enveloping some barren mountain. With flashes of silver lightning and claps of deafening thunder, it appeared as if a crazed serpent was wildly dancing.
At that same time, the Heaven-Earth Spiritual Qi from all around the barren mountain started to revolve around it with a long cry. A huge vortex spanning two kilometers formed underneath the black clouds, thoroughly sucking away the Spiritual Qi from over ten kilometers away and leaving the nearby rogue cultivators in great astonishment.
They all walked out of their places of cultivation and hastily flew towards the barren mountain.
Although these cultivators were ignorant and ill informed, many of them realized that this astonishing scene was clearly caused by a senior succeeding in Core Formation.
There was another Core Formation cultivator that appeared in the Scattered Star Seas! However, it was extremely surprising to the rogue cultivators that someone would attempt to from their core in an area with such sparse Spiritual Qi.
As they felt both awe and admiration, they wanted to see the result. They even had the faint hope of forming some sort of connection to this senior; perhaps,they could actually become his disciple.
A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality c1-2248 Page 210