Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

"Wei Tu, if only you had broken through to the Golden Core Realm a few decades earlier."

Zhao Qingluo sighed faintly.

The words had barely left her lips when a dignified, middle-aged Male Cultivator in a Yellow Robe appeared beside her in a flash.

"Ancestor." Sensing his arrival, Zhao Qingluo composed herself and bowed respectfully to the man in the Yellow Robe.

The newcomer was none other than the pillar of their Qiyue Zhao Family—the Golden Core Ancestor, Zhao Jiangwu.

"Qingluo, by combining the power of our Zhao Family’s three Golden Cores, the Teleportation Array to the ’Ancestral Family’ has been activated. In another three months, the Teleportation Channel will be stable."

"Within these three months, I hope neither the family nor you encounter any major incidents."

Zhao Jiangwu glanced at the Jade Talisman clutched in Zhao Qingluo’s palm, frowned, and said in a deep voice.

"Yes, Ancestor."

Zhao Qingluo nodded slightly in response.

Over the past few decades, it wasn’t just Wei Tu who noticed the "abnormalities" of the Five Demonic Sects in Jing Country; the Qiyue Zhao Family had sensed it as well.

A cunning rabbit has three burrows. Just like the Hann Mountain Tao Family secretly fleeing to Kang Country, the Qiyue Zhao Family, as the leading family influence in Zheng Country, also had its own "escape route."

The Teleportation Array leading to the Zhao Family’s "Ancestral Family" was another of those burrows, established by the clan thousands of years ago.

Seeing Zhao Qingluo agree, Zhao Jiangwu’s expression gradually softened.

He said, "Zheng Country, Jing Country, and Liang Country—these three nations are close to the Yaolang Mountain Range. They were originally carved out by our Righteous Dao Elders who ventured deep into Demon Dao territory."

"Now, the Demon Dao’s influence is overwhelming. Losing the territory of these three countries is of no great consequence to our Righteous Dao. As long as we return to the Ancestral Family, there will come a day when we can return to Zheng Country."

No one could have known that within the Zhao Clan Territory, these casual words from Zhao Jiangwu had just revealed a great secret of the three countries’ Cultivation Realm.

The Righteous Alliance, which now seemed to be suffering defeat after defeat, had actually been the victor in the previous Great War of Righteous and Demons.

If these few short sentences were to spread from the Zhao Family, they would undoubtedly cause a monumental uproar.

Because it was not difficult to discern from his words that the Seven Kingdoms Righteous Alliance had already written off the Three Border Countries of Zheng, Jing, and Liang as sacrificial pawns in the war between the Righteous and Demon Daos.

Zhao Qingluo showed no surprise upon hearing this; she was clearly accustomed to such talk.

"However, before we leave, I hope the family can send a letter to Wei Tu. Let him know about all this so he can leave Zheng Country as soon as possible."

"This is my request. I hope Ancestor can agree to it."

Zhao Qingluo thought for a moment, then looked up at Zhao Jiangwu and spoke.

"Wei Tu?" Zhao Jiangwu’s face showed surprise. He was a little taken aback by Zhao Qingluo’s frankness.

He had thought Zhao Qingluo would be secretive about her feelings, but she had unexpectedly spoken of them directly.

’Just as I’d expect from a child of my Zhao Family.’

Zhao Jiangwu offered a word of praise.

"If he successfully promotes to the Golden Core Realm, I will send someone with a letter to inform him."

"An Independent Cultivator who reaches the Golden Core Realm is a person of extraordinary talent..."

Zhao Jiangwu replied.

"Thank you, Ancestor." A smile touched Zhao Qingluo’s lips upon hearing his words.

Seeing this, Zhao Jiangwu couldn’t help but feel curious. "Qingluo, are you really so certain he can promote to the Golden Core Realm? It’s unlikely he has an Immortal Transformation Pill."

Zhao Qingluo didn’t answer, merely tightening her grip on the Jade Talisman in her hand.

This Jade Talisman was a Small Shifting Talisman.

Years ago, when she fell into a trap and lost consciousness, Wei Tu took her Foundation Establishment Pill and used it to successfully achieve Foundation Establishment.

But forty years ago, Wei Tu had come to Qiyue Mountain and returned the Small Shifting Talisman she had given him.

—Though her father confiscated it.

The one in her hand was a different Small Shifting Talisman.

A loss, a gain.

Zhao Qingluo was certain that this time, Wei Tu’s breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm would be a success.

...

Wei Tu, inside Red River Mountain, was completely unaware of the various reactions in the outside world. At this moment, his entire focus was on the matter of Core Formation.

Core Formation consists of three steps.

They are "Magical Power Crystal," "Gathering Void Pill," and "Jade Liquid Rejuvenation Pill."

Each of these three steps of Core Formation is incredibly difficult. While a mistake wouldn’t necessarily mean losing the chance for Core Formation forever, attempting to challenge the Golden Core Realm a second time would be no easy feat.

The first step: "Magical Power Crystal."

This stage tests the purity of a cultivator’s Magical Power. If the Magical Power is impure, containing too many impurities or "Pill Poison," it becomes difficult to push the Magical Power into a crystalline state.

During his time in the Foundation Establishment Realm, although Wei Tu had consumed a large number of elixirs, he had the help of the "Primordial Forbidden" to purify his Magical Power.

Therefore, this stage was not a major hurdle for Wei Tu. He only needed to follow the steps methodically to pass through it with ease.

The second step: "Gathering Void Pill."

This stage is also known as the "Divine Sense Barrier" that a cultivator faces during Core Formation.

Without sufficient Divine Sense, a cultivator would find it difficult to control their Magical Power, guide the nature’s spiritual energy, compress the granules of "Magical Power Crystals" into "Jade Liquid," and then condense them into a "Void Pill."

Although Wei Tu had never specifically practiced a Cultivation Technique for Hammer Forging Divine Sense, as a Talisman Master, every act of Talisman Painting had inadvertently tempered his Divine Sense.

When it came to Divine Sense, Wei Tu had a certain degree of confidence.

...

The final step: "Jade Liquid Rejuvenation Pill."

This step is also the most difficult for a cultivator. It tests their Essence, Qi, and Spirit. The slightest mistake could result in the pill being destroyed and the person dying, or forging a Wasted Pill and being demoted to a Fake Pill Cultivator.

Fortunately, Wei Tu had previously obtained a complete Golden Core Opportunity, capturing the Ten Thousand Years Medicine King, the "Three-Eyed Silver Toad," in the Yunze Secret Realm. He had sufficient assurance to pass this stage.

—The Three-Eyed Silver Toad was, in essence, a living "Immortal Transformation Pill."

Wei Tu slapped his Storage Bag and took out a jade box containing the Three-Eyed Silver Toad. Using his Magical Power, he refined this Ten Thousand Years Medicine King into a mass of Crimson Spirit Liquid and then swallowed it.