On the smooth, mirror-like ice, Zhang Fan sat cross-legged and took out the Nascent Soul of the White Cloud Tiger with a flip of his hand.
A miniature version of the White Cloud Tiger, it had lost its kingly demeanor of the forest and appeared somewhat adorable.
Now, the consciousness within the White Cloud Tiger's Nascent Soul had been completely erased by Zhang Fan. A Three Tribulation Nascent Soul, containing immense energy, was enough to allow a Golden Core realm cultivator to break through the Golden Core's shackles and form a Nascent Soul.
In fact, the White Cloud Tiger at the time had a complete opportunity to self-destruct its Nascent Soul. The power unleashed by the self-destruction of a Three Tribulation Nascent Soul expert could rival the full power of a peak Three Tribulation Nascent Soul expert.
However, the White Cloud Tiger believed that its survival would be of greater use to Zhang Fan. It still held a desire to live and, at the same time, knew that Zhang Fan's physical body was extremely powerful. Even with self-destruction, it would likely only result in minor injuries. Therefore, it never considered self-destructing its Nascent Soul.
As for Ouyang Jing and Gong Ziru, who died at Zhang Fan's hands, their strength had too great a gap with Zhang Fan. Before they even had a chance to self-destruct their Nascent Souls, they were already cleaved by Zhang Fan's sword.
The immense energy contained within the White Cloud Tiger's Nascent Soul would likely take at least half a year for an ordinary Golden Core realm cultivator to refine.
But for Zhang Fan, who cultivated the "Dark Devour" divine ability, this time could be shortened by several times.
As the cultivation technique circulated, the Gluttonous Celestial Beast diagram condensed within his body was illuminated by Zhang Fan. A colossal spectral image of the Gluttonous Celestial Beast appeared above Zhang Fan's head, radiating an ancient, primal aura.
Zhang Fan's body acted like a black hole, continuously devouring the energy from the White Cloud Tiger's Nascent Soul. The White Cloud Tiger's Nascent Soul gradually became indistinct, while simultaneously, Zhang Fan's aura, which had already reached the peak of the Golden Core realm, climbed again.
"What divine ability is this, that it can condense the spectral image of the ancient ferocious beast, the Gluttonous Celestial Beast, and be so domineering?"
Several kilometers away, Liu Mu, who was also cultivating and preparing to face his Nascent Soul tribulation, was disturbed by the commotion Zhang Fan was causing.
In the Star Lake Forest, he had witnessed Zhang Fan unleash a divine ability that condensed the spectral image of the ancient ferocious beast, the Sky-Splitting Bovine. It was precisely with the help of that divine ability that Zhang Fan was able to slay the White Cloud Tiger.
Now, Zhang Fan was unleashing another divine ability that Liu Mu had never heard of, making him question reality.
He came from an extraordinary background and had considerable knowledge. He had seen many high-grade divine abilities, and even heard of several on the Divine Abilities Ranking, but none of them matched the two Zhang Fan had displayed.
"Truly a freak!"
Liu Mu shook his head and flew away. After Zhang Fan unleashed his divine ability, the world's spiritual energy within a radius of dozens of kilometers was stirred up, preventing Liu Mu from cultivating peacefully.
He couldn't afford to offend him, so he could only distance himself.
"It's still not enough?"
After spending several days completely devouring the White Cloud Tiger's Nascent Soul, Zhang Fan circulated his cultivation technique, channeling this energy to try and shatter his Golden Core and form a Nascent Soul.
However, he had underestimated the power of his two first-grade Golden Cores. Golden Cores were inherently indestructible, let alone two first-grade high-grade Golden Cores!
An ordinary cultivator with a first-grade Golden Core only needed to shatter that single Golden Core to form a Nascent Soul when breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.
But Zhang Fan had cultivated two first-grade Golden Cores, and moreover, two first-grade high-grade Golden Cores. To break through to the Nascent Soul stage, he needed to summon enough powerful force to simultaneously shatter both first-grade Golden Cores before he could form a Nascent Soul.
The energy contained within one White Cloud Tiger's Nascent Soul was clearly insufficient.
Zhang Fan took out a palm-sized jade bottle from his Star Constellation Space. With a gentle flick of his finger, a stream of emerald green liquid flew out from the bottle's opening, hovering in front of him as if weightless.
This was the Earth Core Saliva that Zhang Fan had obtained from the underground lava in the Star Lake Forest. The energy contained within the Earth Core Saliva had been tempered by the Earth Core Fire, making it incredibly pure and most suitable for cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage to break through realms.
Zhang Fan had used about thirty percent of the Earth Core Saliva to cultivate from the mid-Golden Core stage to the peak Golden Core stage.
However, that thirty percent of Earth Core Saliva would have been enough for an ordinary Golden Core cultivator to easily break through to the Nascent Soul stage.
He had originally intended to save the remaining seventy percent for Qin Luoshui and the others, but now, it seemed he had to use it himself.
Zhang Fan opened his mouth slightly, and the Earth Core Saliva transformed into a fine emerald green stream, which he swallowed.
If an ordinary Golden Core cultivator dared to recklessly absorb such a vast amount of energy, their body would have long since exploded. But Zhang Fan, whose divine body had already achieved minor completion, had a powerful physique and could still easily withstand it.
As the energy within his body continuously increased, Zhang Fan repeatedly attempted to shatter his Golden Core, but it was still not enough.
Sixty percent...
Fifty percent...
Thirty percent...
The Earth Core Saliva suspended in front of Zhang Fan visibly decreased, yet Zhang Fan still felt a slight deficiency.
When the Earth Core Saliva was reduced to only twenty percent, Zhang Fan began to feel a hint of unease. After absorbing such immense energy, even with his physical strength, he felt immense pressure, but those two Golden Cores remained as steadfast as ever, unmoved.
"Damn it! What the hell is this thing!"
Even though he had anticipated this to some extent, he had never expected these two Golden Cores to be such bottomless pits!
However, he was now beyond the point of no return. Having come this far, he could only push forward.
*Crack!*
When the Earth Core Saliva was less than ten percent remaining, above his Dantian, those two indestructible Golden Cores finally loosened. A faint crack appeared on the Golden Cores, which then rapidly spread.
Zhang Fan took a deep breath, his expression exceptionally solemn. At this moment, the two first-grade Golden Cores were covered in cracks, resembling a spiderweb.
"Break for me!"
With a surge of powerful energy, the two first-grade Golden Cores shattered with a roar, transforming into luminescence above his Dantian. Within the luminescence, a purple lightning bolt and transparent sword qi emerged.
This was the Thunder Intent and Sword Dao Intent that Zhang Fan had condensed.
Next, Zhang Fan needed to use the Thunder Intent and Sword Dao Intent as the foundation to form his Nascent Soul.
"Hmm?"
Just as Zhang Fan was about to mobilize the power of his Intent to form his Nascent Soul, the Thunder Intent and Sword Dao Intent, beyond Zhang Fan's control, were attracted to each other and drew closer...
Zhang Fan looked inward at his Dantian, watching this scene in astonishment. At this moment, the purple lightning bolt and transparent sword qi had disappeared, replaced by a purple sword qi that flickered with lightning. The residual fluctuations emanating from it made even Zhang Fan, its wielder, feel a chill.
"Did the Sword Dao Intent devour the Thunder Intent?"
Even Zhang Fan couldn't comprehend his current state.
He had initially hoped to cultivate two golden Nascent Souls, but it now seemed that was merely a pipe dream.
Although this inexplicable anomaly had occurred, his Golden Cores had already shattered, and he still had to immediately form his Nascent Soul.
...