...

"There's still some time left here."

Lu Qing sensed the power left behind by this strand of treasure bead.

This world was merely generated by the power of the Dharma Treasure's shadow; being able to last this long was already good.

More than a year's time was also sufficient.

For the next year, Lu Qing did not remain in one place without moving, unlike before.

He completely concealed his aura and, like a mortal, found a small city to live in.

When idle, he also exchanged ideas with some Taoist temple abbots. Zuo Liang and Daoist Ma Feng, the two acquaintances from Huangyun Temple, also happened to meet Lu Qing once.

However, they did not say much else.

The Great Qi Celestial Master was ultimately not established.

Perhaps it was because the scene from that day brought too severe a shock to people.

Even with the imperial guards present, those sorcerers with bizarre methods, once out of control, became extremely terrifying people in the world.

This Emperor of Great Qi was ultimately not a foolish ruler and cared about his own life.

After the Crown Prince died and his past deeds were exposed, Great Qi also had to be said to have experienced a period of public unrest.

Lu Qing lived here peacefully for two months before continuing his journey.

On this journey, which lasted over nine months, he witnessed the grand and magnificent sight of the sun setting over a long river after the desert wind and sand, ascended thousand-foot cliffs from which all mountains appeared small, visited many reclusive Cultivators in deep mountains within famous historical sites, and also sought shelter under eaves like other pedestrians during heavy rain...

In this process, Lu Qing went from initially using flying spells, generating wind and clouds under his feet to travel a thousand li in a day with ease, to eventually subconsciously reducing the use of Taoist techniques, truly becoming like an ancient mountain climber, crossing mountains and rivers step by step.

Although he might not have the carefree freedom of traveling to the North Sea in the morning and Cangwu in the evening, at this moment, unlike the macroscopic view of overlooking the scenery from the clouds, walking through the human world step by step revealed more subtle and vivid scenes for Lu Qing to witness.

Having seen those human hearts, Lu Qing also visited these already incomparably beautiful mountains and rivers. Normally, Lu Qing could survey all mountains and great lakes with his Divine Sense, but in these months, he measured the places he walked with his own eyes.

The map of the world in his heart was also gradually pieced together completely.

Time was abundant for Lu Qing himself, but for this world, it was ultimately like a mayfly's morning and evening, passing in the blink of an eye.

Lu Qing's last stop was still back at the Lu Family Residence.

This place itself would only truly start operating the moment Lu Qing entered. It sounded a bit solipsistic, but this was also the meaning of the treasure bead's power existing.

The Qi Fortune above the Lu Family Residence was thriving.

"It's the Sixth Young Master back!"

When he appeared at the entrance, the Lu Family Residence still had the same two guards as before. One of them recognized him and went inside to report.

Lu Father quickly appeared in the front hall.

Nothing had changed here.

Yet it also seemed as if everything was changing.

However, Lu Qing's feelings were not too profound. After all, he was not someone who left home young and returned old, nor was he a native of this world.

"It's good you're back."

"How long will you stay this time?"

"About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea."

When the true limit of time was reached, the power here would ultimately disappear.

Lu Qing had now obtained what he wanted and had gained insight into the Foundation of the world within his Golden Core cultivation, and thus would not continue to stay here for too long.

Lu Father nodded, showing little emotion on his face, just like Lu Qing. After all, he was also the head of the family, the controller of the Lu Family. His children were blessed and each had their own pursuits, and he would not obstruct them.

"Have you achieved your wish?"

"Still on the way."

Lu Father: "I don't understand these things."

"Have some tea."

Nominally, there was a blood relationship, but Lu Father, who was usually eloquent and smooth-talking with others, found his glibness of little use at this moment, seeing this son who was so unfamiliar he was hard to recognize.

Lu Qing also understood this awkwardness, which was why he would not stay here for long.

The time for a cup of tea was very short, and Lu Mother also couldn't say anything.

As Lu Qing walked out of the Lu Family Residence, his aura, which had been slightly special, gradually became more ethereal and otherworldly with each step.

"It's time to leave."

There was still one month left before this strand of power was consumed.

But having used it to its extreme, there was no need to stay.

This place ultimately provided Lu Qing a place for insights, and being able to preserve it was naturally a good thing.

Spirit Leaf Island.

Outside, the sun had already set in the west.

The tea was still bubbling, emitting misty white steam, and wisps of tea fragrance floated around.

The young man lying on the rattan chair opened his eyes. A trace of daze appeared from the depths of his eyes, then was re-collected.

At this moment, the surrounding cultivation aura went *dong*—like a spring thunderclap during the Awakening of Insects, awakening the world within the Golden Core.

*Crack*.

It was also like the sound made when heaven and earth separated at the beginning of creation.

"Golden Core Second Realm."

Within the Golden Core, a faint glow appeared.

A vast and boundless world slowly separated at this moment. Heaven was heaven, and earth was earth. From then on, each held its own path, each was Qiankun (Heaven and Earth).

Chaos opened, heaven and earth were established. This sentence inexplicably flashed through Lu Qing's mind. This was naturally not referring to his Inner World at this moment; the scene of heaven and earth appearing before his eyes at this time made Lu Qing inexplicably think of some places.

Heaven and earth are originally formless, just as the Great Dao is originally nameless.

The evolution of the world within Lu Qing's Golden Core itself followed his Dao Heart.

After understanding this point, he was also delighted.

There was joy in each step forward. Lu Qing had not expected that he had now broken through to the Golden Core Second Realm.

Regarding Lifespan, he had not previously understood it deeply, only sensing his Lifespan in the dark without the aid of skills.

But after reaching the Golden Core and continuing to break through, he also gained a general understanding of his own Lifespan.

This was not the Lifespan attached to his own skills, but the changes in Lifespan he was experiencing within the Golden Core Realm with each minor realm advancement.

This change was absolutely not like what some ordinary people believed.

The Lifespan of the Golden Core Realm is three thousand years.

"Three thousand years is just the conventional Lifespan; each breakthrough to a minor realm can also bring a slight change in increasing Lifespan."

However, during this process, Lu Qing's expression slightly became serious. Even looking at cultivation from the current refined realm divisions, it was impossible to achieve exactly the same result. Even if it were the same person, restarting the cultivation path, a slight change in minor details would ultimately lead to different outcomes.

The belief that the Golden Core is three thousand years has been deeply rooted, but Lu Qing had his own cultivation verifying it. "The Golden Core is definitely not just three thousand years."

"At the Golden Core level, there originally shouldn't have been such divisions, but later, due to certain changes, it became like this today?"

Lu Qing thought of the dead Phoenix Tail Patriarch. At that time, Lu Qing's vision couldn't see anything, but at this moment, Lu Qing, being a Golden Core Cultivator himself, reviewed those memories and the Shui Province Golden Core Cultivators, and he could see some clues.

Their auras had flaws, not complete.

"To overcome the tribulation, one must completely pass through three tribulations to be considered a complete Golden Core."

Looking back at that scene again, Lu Qing's first thought emerged. Having just entered the Golden Core, Lu Qing hadn't carefully sensed the changes in Lifespan. It was only after this minor realm breakthrough that the slight change, in the eyes of Lu Qing whose Divine Sense and inspiration had greatly increased again, could be discerned.

An ordinary Golden Core, no, it should be called a pseudo-Golden Core. If the Lifespan is fixed, then what about continuing to cultivation towards higher realms? Lu Qing's heart skipped a beat.

When overcoming the tribulation back then, perhaps some knew, perhaps some didn't.

It's just that once the Dao Heart is shaken, avoiding the tribulation later seems logical. How regrettable to die under the Golden Core tribulation. Even if overcoming the tribulation results in only a pseudo-Golden Core, so what? At least one can enjoy three thousand years of life in the world.

Enough.

It's already enough.

Thinking during the tribulation—"Three thousand years is very long, it's already enough."

Reaching the end, it turns into—"I don't want to die."

The last four words of the "Cultivation Record" seen within the treasure bead were once again reflected in his heart lake.

...