Nine Evolutions of the True Spirit
chapter-192

Concocting the Heart Condensation Pellets was miserable.

On his first try, a loud sound could be heard coming from within the cauldron. Spirit herbs worth up to 150,000 spirit stones were turned into a pile of ashes, along with a high-grade spirit stone added to supplement the spiritual energy.

Lu Ping felt faint when he thought about the losses.

After that, Lu Ping rested for two days before attempting the second cauldron of Heart Condensation Pellets. He knew that his biggest obstacle when it came to Core Forging Realm medicinal pellets was his divine sense.

Although Lu Ping's divine sense far exceeded that of peak Blood Condensation Realm cultivators, it was still lacking and always ran out before the final step could be completed.

No wonder only Core Forging Realm alchemists could concoct Core Forging Realm medicinal pellets. After all, divine revelation was far more powerful and precise compared to divine sense.

Thanks to the previous batch, he was much more experienced and managed to succeed with the second cauldron. A bright red pellet popped out when he opened the cauldron lid.

Lu Ping didn’t care about his exhaustion and hastily caught it in his hands. This was the only pellet that was concocted from the second cauldron of spirit herbs.

The pellet beat like a heart in his hand, which was a sign of the pellet's level. Although classified as a half-step Core Forging Realm pellet, Heart Condensation Pellets were just a fine line away from Core Forging Realm pellets. Hence, they displayed certain qualities that could only be seen in Core Forging Realm pellets.

For instance, similar to how Core Forging Realm pellets had spirituality, Heart Condensation Pellets also had a slight sense of spirituality.

In the third cauldron, even though Lu Ping could call upon his experience from the first two batches, he still only succeeded in concocting one Heart Condensation Pellet.

Lu Ping sighed, it seemed that this was as far as he could go with his alchemy for now.

In the end, he had only concocted two Heart Condensation Pellets using three cauldrons of spirit herbs.

At this time, a shocking piece of news finally came from the monster race sea.

On the day of the Golden Jiao Lord's birthday banquet, the North Ocean Alliance cultivators worked together and raided the island. The monster cultivators suffered heavy casualties and huge losses.

The news had just reached Huang Li Island, so the details were still unclear. When Fang Tao hurriedly reported to Lu Ping, he wasn’t surprised as he had expected a similar situation.

Lu Ping's concern was the number of casualties on both sides, as well as the degree of involvement of the high-ranking cultivators, since they were the ones that would determine the severity and aftermath of the incident. But most of all, Lu Ping was worried about the situation of Hu Lili and his close friends, he wished to hear that they were safe.

He felt a sense of urgency all of a sudden. However, all he could do right now was to quickly improve his strength to be ready for any situation.

In his cave-dwelling, Lu Ping was looking at the Heart Condensation Pellet in his hand. Although he had two, the pellet's effect was only effective the first time a cultivator took one. It was impossible to continuously increase cultivation layers with the Heart Condensation Pellets.

Therefore, the best time to take the Heart Condensation Pellets would be during the Eighth Layer Blood Condensation Realm, in order to advance to the Ninth Layer and get ready for the Core Forging Realm.

Although Heart Condensation Pellets claimed to be able to increase a cultivators' cultivation layer without affecting their foundation, Lu Ping still prepared some of the best cultivation pellets he had just in case. Furthermore, he even held two high-grade spirit stones in his hands to aid his cultivation.

After he swallowed the pellet, the pellet quickly dissolved, and its medicinal efficacy flowed in his veins.

The first wave of medicinal efficacy expanded his veins, bringing severe pain throughout Lu Ping's whole body. The second wave of medicinal efficacy healed and strengthened his veins.

A third and final wave turned into a burst of rampant spiritual energy that rampaged in his body.

Lu Ping tried hard to cultivate the [North Ocean Wave Listening Scripture] with the help of his powerful divine sense. Eventually, his strong arcane energy was able to guide the spiritual energy, while gradually refining the spiritual energy into his own arcane energy.

As time passed, Lu Ping's arcane energy rapidly grew to the peak of the Seventh Layer Blood Condensation Realm.

As Lu Ping's arcane energy became stronger and stronger, his dormant foundation bloodline finally became active again, and a feeling of hunger set in. This time, the Jiao Bloodline had its eyes on the Earth Ape Bloodline.

But just as Lu Ping's foundation bloodline had subdued the Earth Ape Bloodline, the spiritual energy from the Heart Condensation Pellet suddenly began to wane.

Lu Ping sighed in his heart as he knew this might happen. Fortunately, he had prepared for it.

Cultivating the [North Ocean Wave Listening Scripture] enhanced his arcane energy to a level that far exceeded ordinary cultivators. Whilst this increased his strength and improved his cultivation path, he had to spend a lot of time to accumulate and refine his arcane energy, requiring a lot more arcane energy for him to advance.

Although the Heart Condensation Pellet's medicinal efficacy was more than enough to increase an ordinary cultivators' cultivation, it was insufficient in some special cases like Lu Ping.

Hence, Lu Ping's cultivation was half-a-step away from the Eighth Layer Blood Condensation Realm.

Lu Ping didn’t hesitate to immediately consume two Late Blood Condensation Realm Blood Spirit Pellets. A new wave of spiritual energy flowed in his body, though not as strong as the Heart Condensation Pellet's, it was enough. After all, all Lu Ping needed was the last straw.

Furthermore, the spiritual energy from the two high-grade spirit stones as well as the six mini spirit veins was constantly being absorbed into Lu Ping's body.

As the supply of spiritual energy returned, the foundation Jiao Bloodline continued to devour the Earth Ape Bloodline. Finally, the eighth Condensed Blood Beads formed in his heartspace, indicating his successful advancement into the Eighth Layer Blood Condensation Realm.

After consolidating his cultivation base for some time, five days had passed.

The two high-grade spirit stones turned into powder in his hands, and the spiritual energy in the cave-dwelling was barren. Realising the consumption of spiritual energy, Lu Ping felt very lucky.

Lu Ping had just broken through to the Seventh Layer less than three months ago, so his rapid advancement to the Eighth Layer would definitely shock many people and arouse their suspicions. Hence, he cast the [Spirit Hiding Art] on himself and hid his real cultivation base. This way, even Enlightened Masters would be unable to find out Lu Ping's real prowess, unless they deliberately inspected him.

Lu Ping walked out of the cave-dwelling and saw a charm floating outside the Ice Age Killing Array. He retrieved the charm and listened to the message left behind by Fang Tao, which reported the latest situation in the monster race sea.

…

It all started with the North Ocean Alliance's scheme for Golden Jiao Lord's birthday banquet.

On that day, when the human cultivators ambushed Golden Jiao Island, they were stopped by the island's great protective formation. But it was only a matter of time before the formation masters deciphered it and broke the formation.

At that moment, a loud laughter could be heard coming out of Golden Jiao Island saying, "I only invited my fellow monster friends to the banquet. I didn't expect to see my fellow human race friends to also come, but I sure am glad that you have!"

As Golden Jiao Lord spoke, a daunting and heavenly aura burst up to the sky. The clouds rolled and the wind howled, as a thunderstorm was brewing overhead. The Golden Jiao Lord had taken control of the weather.

"This… it's the power of Avatar Realm Great Ancestors! This old monster has advanced into the Avatar Realm and became a Great Ancestor!"

"This was not a birthday banquet, but an Avatar forum!"

"I'm afraid that is the case. I was wondering too. Even though the Golden Jiao Lord was undefeatable and half a step away from Avatar Realm, he still shouldn’t have been able to invite all 108 monster Enlightened Masters from the 72 palaces to his birthday banquet. But it all makes sense if it's for an Avatar forum."

"This old monster is in the Avatar Realm, we are no match for him now. I am afraid we will return in defeat... with many of us not being able to make it back."

......

When the North Ocean Alliance's cultivators were frightened by the Golden Jiao Lord's aura, a gentle voice came from afar, "I was initially planning to just watch quietly from a distance until the party ended, but I certainly didn’t expect to see that my old friend had entered the Avatar Realm."

After the voice spoke, the sky suddenly turned clear, and Golden Jiao Lord's aura was pushed back to the island.

"Jiang Xuan-Lin? I did not expect you to also enter the Avatar Realm. According to your sect's tradition, I should now call you Jiang Tian-Lin, right? So, it seems that you are the reason why these little ones dare to attack my Golden Jiao Island!"

Golden Jiao Lord was obviously taken aback as well!

Jiang Tian-Lin's arrival boosted the human cultivators' morale and swept away the fear from the Golden Jiao Lord's advancement to the Avatar Realm.

Among them, the Zhen Ling Sect disciples were the most stunned and overjoyed. They never expected to see Enlightened Master Jiang Xuan-Lin advance into the Avatar Realm and become Great Ancestor Jiang Xuan-Lin.

The Great Ancestors were the patron saints of the sects!

Henceforth, Zhen Ling Sect's strength would be greatly enhanced. Now, Xuan Ling Sect would have to weigh up its claim of number one sect in the North Ocean.