A tyrannical and frenzied intent emanated from the pitch-black giant hand.
It was similar to the previously suppressed Heavenly Calamity Sword.
However, before this ominous giant hand could take any action, an immense blue light suddenly lit up from behind the Taiyi Hall, deep within the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace.
It appeared as an endless ocean suspended in the sky.
Under the reflection of the blue light, the giant hand seemed to be constantly washed by endless seawater.
The darkness on the giant hand slowly faded away.
It reverted to its original color.
The blue light suddenly withdrew, and the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace returned to silence.
Many cultivators who witnessed this series of events believed that some extraordinary treasure had appeared there.
Summoning their courage, they cautiously approached to see what was happening.
The first thing they saw was a dozen headless corpses scattered on the ground.
Their expressions changed drastically.
Recalling the giant sword emitting an ominous black aura they had seen earlier, the onlookers didn’t dare to make any unnecessary moves and hastily retreated.
News of the sudden change and danger in the depths of the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace quickly spread through the Cong Yun Sea as cultivators exchanged information.
“It seems that it won’t be so easy to deceive people into activating the Heavenly Calamity Sword next time.”
“However, with the Divine Transformation Dao, there isn’t a difference between watching it once or multiple times.”
Having achieved his goal, Li Fan quietly returned to Ten Thousand Immortals Island.
In the Tianxuan Mirror, he kept replaying in his mind the scene where the Heavenly Calamity Sword was unsheathed and harvested the lives of more than ten cultivators.
From the Vision of Heaven and Earth, Li Fan saw that the spiritual energy around the cultivators, which was usually calm, became chaotic the moment the sound of the sword arrived.
It seemed as if the spiritual energy turned into Calamityrp yet flexible strings, slicing through the heads of the cultivators with each vibration.
“Calamity…”
Repeatedly comprehending it hundreds of times, Li Fan gradually gained some insights.
The scene shifted, and Li Fan focused his attention on what happened afterward.
An infinite amount of blue light surged into the sky, forming an inverted ocean.
Majestic and spectacular.
Li Fan carefully comprehended.
“This blue energy gives me a very familiar feeling.”
“It seems very similar to the Cong Yun Sea.”
“But for some reason, the ocean imagery represented by this blue light seems to be much more expansive than the Cong Yun Sea…”
“Hanhai…” [1]
Originally, Li Fan planned to use the Heavenly Calamity and Ink Death laws to condense the Golden Core first. However, after unexpectedly witnessing the blue light of the Hanhai, Li Fan became hesitant.
This blue light of the Hanhai seemed to have the same origin as the Cong Yun Sea.
Since Li Fan was extremely familiar with the Cong Yun Sea and had personally used the Canghai Pearl to build his foundation, using the Hanhai law to condense the Golden Core would evidently have more advantages.
“From the scene where the Heavenly Calamity infected and transformed the blue light, it can be deduced that the Heavenly Calamity law might have some impact on the mind, making it difficult to suppress the violent killing intent.”
“And the blue light of the Hanhai can serve as a buffer.”
“Along with the Ink Death law, if the Hanhai law falls short, it can be supplemented with the Azure Flame law…”
“Condensing into a single Fourfold Golden Core.”
With the basic plan in mind, Li Fan temporarily put aside other matters and immersed himself in closed-door cultivation.
The duration of condensing the Golden Core varied based on individual aptitude and the different laws one cultivated.
Previously, with the support of the will of the Cong Yun Sea, Zhang Haobo took just over a month to condense a False Core using the Water and Wind laws.
However, if it were Li Fan, it might not be so easy.
His Foundation Treasure quietly transformed into the Canghai Pearl.
Threads of blue light, representing the power of the water attribute law, surged from the Canghai Pearl.
Like silkworm silk, it wove and surrounded the Canghai Pearl.
Li Fan envisioned the scene of Hanhai taking action.
He blended his own law comprehension into it.
The blue light surging from the Canghai Pearl seemed to undergo a change in an instant.
It became deeper and more ancient.
Since the Canghai Pearl shared many similarities with the Hanhai law, this process was much faster than Li Fan had anticipated.
Gradually, a deep blue halo enveloped the surroundings of the Canghai Pearl.
A very rudimentary Golden Core took shape.
“If I continue like this, a pure Golden Core using the Hanhai law might be condensed immediately.”
“However, that’s not my goal.”
“Next, add the Heavenly Calamity law.”
In Li Fan’s sea of consciousness, the moment when the Heavenly Calamity Sword was unsheathed kept replaying.
Strands of darkness suddenly surged out from the core of the Foundation Treasure, like ink overflowing in the blue light.
But what made Li Fan frown slightly was that the black color representing the Heavenly Calamity law didn’t last for long.
It persisted for a moment within the enveloping blue light and then disappeared without a trace.
Li Fan, who had read the experiences of many cultivators who had formed a core, immediately understood.
This was because the Heavenly Calamity law lacked a source within Li Fan’s body.
It could only manifest briefly like water without a source, unable to last.
The Hanhai law naturally had an endless source in the Canghai Pearl.
This was also the reason why cultivators often couldn’t simultaneously master multiple laws when forming the core.
Without one’s own Foundation Treasure as the root, condensing a core with multiple laws was not easy.
Li Fan tried for a long time, but the speed of condensing the Heavenly Calamity law was always slower than its dissipation.
After pondering for a moment, Li Fan temporarily gave up the attempt.
Instead, he began to contemplate the scene when Zhang Haobo was forming his core.
The black sword intent shadow, magnified countless times, stood between heaven and earth.
Green wind blew in from the sword tip above, and the blue water flowed in from the sword hilt below.
The three colors, blue, black, and green, mixed together, and the sword body slowly condensed.
…
Li Fan’s eyes brightened, showing signs of deep contemplation.
“Zhang Haobo used the Water and Wind laws, which naturally exists in heaven and earth, combined with his own Heavenly Calamity Sword Intent to form a core together.”
“The natural laws of heaven and earth are endless, so there’s no need to worry about source.”
“Perhaps this is why many cultivators have to travel far and wide to personally comprehend and absorb the laws of heaven and earth when forming their core.”
“But I can’t do that.”
“The Heavenly Calamity law, the Hanhai law, and the Ink Death law, each one is more dangerous than the other.”
“Going to the scene to observe it in person would probably not lead to the formation of the core but would instead cost me my life.”
“Fortunately, I have [Truth].”
With a thought, the Foundation Treasure transformed into the Heavenly Calamity Sword Intent in the blink of an eye.
The blue Hanhai law, which was originally gathered into a ball, lost its foundation in an instant and began to dissipate.
However, it had already formed a self-sustaining momentum, and its dissipation speed slowed down considerably.
During this time, Li Fan had enough time to condense the Heavenly Calamity law.
The black color gradually intensified.
It was as if layer after layer of dark shackles were added to the blue water ball.
Time slowly passed.
After the embryonic form of the Heavenly Calamity law was established, Li Fan promptly switched the Foundation Treasure back to the Canghai Pearl, restoring the blue Hanhai law.
Repeating this process continuously, slowly, within Li Fan’s dantian.
The Golden Core shadow centered around [Truth] gradually took shape.
*****
T/N: Hanhai translates roughly to “Vast Sea”