He descended and sat cross-legged on the snow-covered ground, some distance from the pool but still within the array’s range.

He tapped his bag of holding, and the Ninefold Pagoda appeared before him, radiating strong golden qi along with a deep, resonant pulse of energy.

The moment that pulse spread and struck his soul, Gu Qinghe flinched, clutching his chest in pain.

When I took it... I didn’t feel anything.

He raised his hand, golden qi gathering at his fingertips as he guided it through his meridians. Using that method, he gradually calmed the tight, painful pressure in his chest.

His breathing steadied. The stiffness in his joints faded, and the discomfort disappeared. Gu Qinghe was fully recovered.

To use the pagoda effectively, he tossed it forward, allowing it to expand on its own once it reached the ground.

It grew to eighty meters tall, its proportions perfectly balanced. His gaze shifted across its structure. There were nine levels, each representing a different layer and power.

Gu Qinghe stood up, narrowing his eyes at the entrance on the first floor. After taking a slow breath, he stepped inside, eager to test its effectiveness.

Inside, pillars supported the structure, and golden statues stood along the sides, five in total. His attention was drawn to the altar platform at the center of the first floor.

His eyes glowed gold as he carefully observed the flow of qi. Streams of energy surged inward from outside, fully absorbed by the pagoda.

Not wanting to waste time, he sat cross-legged on the altar. His hands formed seals as he activated a standard cultivation technique rather than a specialized one.

With his eyes closed and mind calm, spiritual qi began to pour into his body in massive quantities, far beyond what he had experienced before.

The Ninefold Pagoda not only absorbed natural qi, it also generated its own supply. As for where that qi came from, the mystery remained unsolved.

Yesterday, a hundred high-grade spirit stones helped me break through because I already had the momentum.

This is different. I’m cultivating from scratch to build momentum and reach Peak Core Formation.

I need to be fast.

Gu Qinghe paused his cultivation and opened his eyes, scanning his surroundings.

He narrowed his gaze, faintly noticing that the pagoda’s spiritual qi flow originated from the five golden statues positioned around the floor.

Seeing this, he realized that a basic cultivation technique would not be enough. He needed a high-level method to fully harness the overwhelming qi within the pagoda. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Among the countless techniques he knew, one stood out.

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. His hands formed a long and complex series of seals before he pressed his palms against the altar floor.

Golden runes appeared beneath him, etched with ancient characters, small circular patterns, and abstract designs. Sitting at the center, Gu Qinghe closed his eyes and entered meditation.

Now, the pagoda’s qi no longer flowed directly into his body. Instead, it was drawn into the runes beneath him.

Through this method, absorption and extraction accelerated dramatically, allowing his dantian to receive a vast amount of spiritual qi instantly.

With such a high-level technique and the pagoda’s abundant qi, Gu Qinghe estimated he could break through to Peak Core Formation within three months.

That was far faster than waiting years in this place.

From that day on, the three of them focused entirely on cultivation, raising their realms. No other cultivators noticed them, as the entire area was concealed by Gu Qinghe’s array.

No one could disturb them.

***

Three months later.

Yan Ran and Liu Xi successfully built their momentum and broke through a month earlier, reaching Mid Core Formation.

Not only that, they had mastered the Clear Yang Cloud Technique and could use it effectively. The dominant yin energy no longer troubled them.

Their attention turned southward, where a glowing golden pagoda stood eighty meters tall.

From their perspective, the spiritual qi emanating from it was pure, dense, and abundant.

When Yan Ran had tried to approach it a month ago, she was immediately struck by an overwhelming cultivation pressure, like being taught a harsh lesson by a Nascent Soul master.

Since then, neither of them dared to get too close. They kept a distance of at least five hundred meters to avoid the pressure.

Liu Xi crossed her arms, certain that Gu Qinghe was the owner of the pagoda and was currently inside it.

Yan Ran nodded, though she found it strange that other cultivators at the valley altar couldn’t see the glowing pagoda at all.

Since their breakthrough, no other cultivators had arrived. Yan Ran suspected Gu Qinghe had done something to conceal it.

While they waited, a pillar of golden light suddenly shot up from the pagoda. Both women gasped in shock, wondering what had triggered it.

Their attention shifted to a figure floating above the top of the pagoda. They smiled as they recognized him instantly.

It was Gu Qinghe.

The aura radiating from him was far stronger and more dominant than before.

Waves of powerful qi spread outward, a clear sign that he had broken through to Peak Core Formation.

"Peak... Core Formation?" Yan Ran asked in awe.

Soon, the pillar of light faded. Gu Qinghe opened his eyes, and a massive surge of qi burst outward, sending strong winds across the area and melting the snow on the grass.

He descended and landed lightly on the ground. With a flick of his hand, the Ninefold Pagoda shrank and returned to his bag of holding. He walked toward Yan Ran and Liu Xi.

"Mid Core Formation... not bad."

"Congratulations on your breakthrough, Senior," they said in unison.

Gu Qinghe looked at his palm. As he clenched his fist, faint golden lightning flickered across it. His strength was now more than enough to face Gu Qingyin.

With this power, I should be able to push Qingyin back.

I should focus on the peaks of each mountain. There might be king-grade treasures at every summit.

"Have you learned the technique I gave you?" he asked calmly.

"Yes, Senior."

"Good," Gu Qinghe said. "Let’s go."