Two months later.

Jian Wuxian and Elder Waning Moon were standing several dozen meters away from Zhao Jiuge inside the Cold Sky Sword Spirit Vein.

After taking Zhao Jiuge to the spirit vein, Jian Wuxian had quickly gone to Elder Waning Moon to tell ther that Zhao Jiuge was going to condense his spirit core and that his visit had to be delayed. Then he rushed back to the spirit vein and waited for Zhao Jiuge to successfully condense his spirit core.

Elder Waning Moon still remembered this matter after she missed out on recruiting Zhao Jiuge as her disciple. She had been cultivating alone for many years and hadn’t accepted a single disciple. She finally had the urge to accept a disciple but had missed out due to her own hesitation. She was rather fond of Zhao Jiuge, so she had told Jian Wuxian to send him over when there was time. She hadn’t expected Zhao Jiuge to condense his spirit core the moment she requested a visit.

Elder Waning Moon calculated the time it would take and came to the spirit vein to wait with Jioan Wuxian to witness this important moment in every cultivator’s life. She secretly wondered what grade Zhao Jiuge’s spirit core would be.

Zhao Jiuge hadn’t move at all during these past two months. He absorbed the dense spirit force here to help condense his spirit core. During the last two months, Zhao Jiuge’s cold attribute had increased greatly.

At this moment, the bright, golden spirit force had turned into golden liquid. There was a blue and white fog shrouding the golden liquid. This golden liquid was made of spirit force.

Shortly after, the last bit of golden spirit force turned into golden liquid. Zhao Jiuge’s entire body trembled because the most critical moment had come!

When all his spirit force turned from gas to liquid, he would have to use his cultivation method to condense the liquid into a spirit core. If he failed at condensing the spirit core, not only would all the spirit force gathered here dissipate, his cultivation would fall drastically as well.

Even if you managed to condense your spirit core, due to the difference in everyone’s cultivation methods, the size, color, and other aspects would all be different. If you tempered your body inside a spirit vein, the spirit core would contain attributes. This was why spirit cores were so important—they allowed you to see how far a person would go in the future.

The spirit core was like a seed. If the seed was good, then the dao fruit that formed from it would be powerful and good. If the seed was not good, then the fruit it would someday bear would naturally not be good; there was even a chance that a dao fruit would never form.

“It looks like the spirit force inside his body has mostly transformed. He should begin condensing his spirit core soon.” Elder Waning Moon’s voice was faint. Her head was wrapped in a black, silk scarf, revealing only her eyes and forehead.

There was a hint of worry between Jian Wuxian’s brows, and he said, “He should have no problem condensing his spirit core. I just hope that he can condense a high-grade spirit core. As for triggering a phenomenon, I don’t expect him to trigger any.”

“What? If he can’t trigger a phenomenon, then he isn’t your disciple? You didn’t trigger a phenomenon, yet you were still able to reach the Dao Origin Realm.” Elder Waning Moon’s tone contained a hint of annoyance. She continued, “A good spirit core means you can go further, but nothing is absolute. My spirit core was only grade-5, but I was lucky enough to trigger a phenomenon. However, through my hard work, didn’t I still reach the Mahayana Realm?”

Jian Wuxian revealed an embarrassed smile and simply nodded. Facing one of the three giants of the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect who had status far above his, Jian Wuxian could only respectfully listen. He didn’t have the courage to rebut Elder Waning Moon.

Elder Waning Moon completely ignored Jian Wuxian’s opinion and said, “No matter what the result, after he finishes condensing his spirit core, send him to my Waning Moon Peak for a few months. You are incompetent as a teacher, so I’ll teach him. I’m by myself and don’t have much to do. I’ll teach him the third layer of the sword art, and once I’m satisfied, he can leave.” 

Jian Wuxia had a smile on his face and didn’t feel the slightest bit unhappy. He was glad Elder Waning Moon would personally teach Zhao Jiuge. It would only benefit Zhao Jiuge, and it was a great opportunity.

Jian Wuxian was secretly planning in his heart. There was less than two years until the competition between the seven holy lands. He would take Zhao Jiuge there and then send him out to experience the world after that. Then, after five years, Zhao Jiuge would return and attend the Battle Competition between all the sects. He just didn't know how much Zhao Jiuge would have grown by then. Zhao Jiuge and the sect didn’t have much time.

While Jian Wuxian and Elder Waning Moon were talking, Zhao Jiuge subconsciously took a deep breath and began forming his spirit core.

With one thought, the Sanskrit Heart Sutra activated. The spirit force and cold attribute circled around him and flowed into his body. There were ripples around his body, creating a faint, hissing sound.

Spirit force rushed into his dantian from all directions. The golden liquid inside Zhao Jiuge’s dantian began to move and ripples spread across the surface. Even the blue and white fog above it was churning.

The golden liquid began to boil and mix together with the floating blue and white fog.

While it boiled, the golden liquid’s surface area decreased, taking a shape resembling a ball of golden mud.

Zhao Jiuge’s heart calmed down at this moment. From the records he had read, he knew that this was normal. He just had to quietly wait for the result.

The more spirit force Zhao Jiuge absorbed, the faster the ball of golden mud inside his body changed. Zhao Jiuge was like a dried-up desert being thrown into an ocean. He greedly absorbed everything. Not only did his spirit force increase greatly, even the cold attribute inside his body was increasing rapidly.

Zhao Jiuge didn’t have to wait for long before the golden liquid inside his dantian had disappeared and turned into soft, golden mud. The blue and white fog had also disappeared—it had integrated with the soft, golden mud.

He didn’t hesitate and continued to the Sanskrit Heart Sutra to continue condensing his spirit core!

A soft echo created a wave. The ball of soft mud slowly gathered at the center and a golden ight erupted from Zhao Jiuge’s body. Zhao Jiuge was shrouded in golden light.

Jian Wuxian and Elder Waning Moon calmly looked at this exciting scene, but they remained silent.

However, the next moment, both of them were greatly shocked. They looked at Zhao Jiuge in disbelief, and their previously calm expressions had disappeared!

While Zhao Jiuge was covered in a golden glow, a golden lotus flower began to appear around him. Countless golden lotuses appeared, and each of them appeared as a bud and then bloomed. They all emitted golden light—it was a dazzling scene.

These golden lotuses flowers slowly bloomed around Zhao Jiuge's body and rotated in place. They made Zhao Jiuge look somewhat divine.

This wasn’t the only thing. Shortly after, bursts of Sanskrit Chant began to echo in everyone’s hearts. This sound was very gentle and would make anyone who heard it feel calm and peaceful.

Zhao Jiuge sat there with his eyes closed. Golden lotuses were rotating around him and Sankrit Chant echoed in the cave. Jian Wuxian and Elder Waning Moon were both dumbfounded. They never thought that Zhao Jiuge would be able to trigger a phenomenon while condensing his spirit core. Since the beginning of the sect, a little more than 20 different types of phenomenons had been recorded. Since everyone’s phenomenon was different, that meant that since the creation of the sect, only a little more than 20 people had managed to trigger a phenomenon when condensing their spirit core.

Although not many of them had managed to successfully ascend, they were all existences that stood at the top! The most famous was, of course, the phenomenon triggered by the ancestor of the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect, Old Man Mysterious Heaven.

The Law Horn Blew and Celestial Music Played.

This phenomenon led Old Man Mysterious Heaven to rise above everyone and ascend. This was the most overbearing type of phenomenon in the records.

Jian Wuxian and Elder Waning Moon were both shocked. They looked at each other and both said, “Phenomenon!”

At this moment, their expressions changed, but both had drastically different expressions. Jian Wuxian was very happy, with a hint of disbelief.

Elder Waning Moon was a bit angry and she let out a cold snort. “I’m so angry. Back in the Mysterious Heaven Temple, I should have taken Zhao Jiuge as my disciple no matter what. Even though I would’ve gotten the reputation of stealing other people’s disciples, I shouldn’t have hesitated.”

While she spoke, her chest heaved up and down and she looked very unwilling. Then she tyrannically said, “I don’t care. After this, I’m going to take Zhao Jiuge to cultivate with me on the Waning Moon Peak. In the future, Zhao Jiuge will count as my half-disciple.”

Jian Wuxian had a smile on his face. He didn’t care about this at all. It was for the better that Elder Waning Moon was willing to each Zhao Jiuge. Most importantly, Zhao Jiuge was able to trigger a phenomenon, which represented his future potential. At the same time, he saw hope for the future of the sect. His expectations for Zhao Jiuge had grown, and Elder Waning Moon liked Zhao Jiuge more and more.

Jian Wuxian was originally very worried that without enough time, Zhao Jiuge wouldn’t be able to grow, that Zhao Jiuge would fall behind in the competition between the seven holy lands and the Battle Competition between the sects. However, now he was filled with hope. Jian Wuxian believed that with time, Zhao Jiuge would not lose out to those geniuses in the other sects.

Feeling happy, Jian Wuxian asked Elder Wanging Moon, “Gold Lotus Appears, Sanskrit Chant Echos. What kind of phenomenon is this?”

Elder Waning Moon pondered for a bit before she shook her head and said, “I don’t know. After this kid finishes, let’s ask him and then ask my senior brother.”

Jian Wuxian nodded in agreement.

Elder Waning Moon still felt a bit worried and uneasily said, “After he finishes condensing his spirit core, he will come with me to the Waning Moon Peak to train. He will count as my half-disciple and I’ll be responsible for teaching him.”

Seeing Elder Waning Moon like this, Jian Wuxian wanted to laugh, but he didn’t have the courage. He held back the laughter and respectfully said, “Then I’ll have to trouble Elder Waning Moon.”

Elder Waning Moon was finally satisfied and looked toward Zhao Jiuge.

While Jian Wuxian and Elder Waning Moon were talking, something changed inside Zhao Jiuge’s dantain once more.