Ji An nodded slightly, no longer dwelling on this; he understood the profound significance left by the ancestor, a bond of the soul.

Such preferential treatment surely would bind the disciples more closely to the sect.

When leaving the sect, everything from Red Flame Peak would remain behind, a generous recompense he left for the sect.

During his travels, he gained various knowledge and would not hesitate to submit them to the sect.

Ji An solemnly clasped his hands together and asked:

"There is one more matter I seek to consult you, ancestor. What is needed to exchange for the Gold Core Pill during a breakthrough?"

Wanting to break through to the Golden Core Stage, the Gold Core Pill is an indispensable resource.

It can trigger the explosion of the Five Elements Power and increase the chance of breakthrough by thirty percent.

Daoist Master Zhengyang’s eyes were full of laughter, teasingly saying:

"Already starting to plan for the Core Formation this early, haha, good. Those who do not plan for the future will surely worry in the near term!"

After a brief pause, he spoke seriously:

"Exchanging for a Gold Core Pill requires no extra cost; the sect will distribute one to all qualifying disciples.

If disciples wish to pursue higher realms after breaking through to the Golden Core Stage and desire to leave, I will not obstruct, with the sole condition being that they stay in the sect for sixty years."

Comparing hearts to hearts, with what the sect invests, disciples will surely hold gratitude in their hearts, remembering that this place is the starting point of their cultivation, wherever they are later.

Back then, he was able to break through to the Golden Core Stage with the entire sect’s help, obtaining one Gold Core Pill.

Ji An sighed internally, realizing the sect was doing risk investment. But if faced with a traitor... no, the sect surely has ways to assess disciples.

If there are signs of a traitor, the sect likely will not provide pills freely to such disciples.

He softly inquired, "The sect is generous. Suppose a breakthrough is unsuccessful; what price must be paid to obtain another Gold Core Pill?"

Daoist Master Zhengyang raised his brow, his voice more solemn:

"If disciples fail to form a core and want another Gold Core Pill via sect channels, it requires a hundred thousand Great Merits, and they must prove their wounds are healed."

There’s a saying in cultivation, "No Regret with Golden Core." Once condensed, the quality of the Golden Core cannot be altered.

Some cultivators adopt an extreme approach, forcefully stopping when the core isn’t fully formed.

Though this incurs severe backlash, it preserves the capital to start anew. Cultivators with abundant lifespan and wealth opt for this method.

The Spirit Medicine needed for the self-inflicted damage during a forced halt in breakthrough is extremely rare and expensive. Without financial resources relying on the cultivator’s self-healing ability, improvement is unlikely.

"A hundred thousand Great Merits, that’s quite a lot. It would take hundreds of years to gather!"

Ji An chuckled, knowing even for him it would require over a hundred years to accumulate. Others in the sect have nearly no chance to obtain a second Gold Core Pill.

From another perspective, the sect decided not to offer failed disciples a second chance.

Daoist Master Zhengyang’s gaze intensified, his tone becoming stern:

"No Regret with Golden Core not only implies quality cannot be altered after forming, but also a deeper meaning: without unwavering faith, high-quality Golden Core cannot be forged.

The Golden Core Stage marks the end of the Refining Essence and Qi phase and the beginning of Refining Qi to Divinity; an unquantifiable firm Dao Heart plays a significant role during pill formation.

Therefore, if a cultivator hopes for a second attempt at forming a core after one failure, they won’t achieve a greater breakthrough.

If you aim to form a core, constantly remind yourself there’s no turning back, succeed or die."

"Understood, master."

...

Ji An left Wuji Hall, riding auspicious clouds to the mountainside. Seeing there were still lights in the Treasure Pavilion, he descended and stepped in.

Jia Yu saw him come in, laughingly said:

"Just met the ancestor, didn’t you?"

"How do you know? Can’t I meet Senior Brother first?"

Jia Yu sneered lightly, pulling out a wine gourd for a hearty drink, playfully scolding:

"The incense of Wuji Hall is unique to our sect. Now the incense scent hasn’t dissipated from you yet.

Besides, it’s already 7:00 PM. If I hadn’t been inventorying today, this place would have closed by now."

Ji An chuckled lightly, knowing he spent too much time in Wuji Hall and the sudden descent from the mountain peak left him little time for the wild wind to scatter the aroma from his clothes.

He took out neatly arranged Middle-grade Spirit Stones from Void Realm Space, saying, "Senior Brother, here are 3600 spirit stones, please count them."

Converting Middle-grade Spirit Stones to Top-grade Spirit Stones requires an additional ’service fee’ of twenty percent.

Jia Yu extended his Divine Sense to sweep over the pile of spirit stones, nodding slightly, "The number checks out. I’ll fetch the Top-grade Spirit Stones."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Mimic Array behind him wavered and dissipated, revealing the Earth Dragon Beast stepping out.

"Rock Ancestor, why have you emerged?"

Jia Yu was curious; during Rock Ancestor’s slumber, it woke only once every hundred years.

Before the demon calamity, he saw it wake up only once, lasting two weeks before it fell into sleep again.

The Earth Dragon Beast said muffledly, "My cultivation has improved, going to chat with Fellow Daoist Zhengyang."

It sauntered out, yellow auspicious clouds rising beneath its feet, soaring into the sky heading to the peak.

Jia Yu sighed, "Creatures of the demon beast category with excellent bloodlines find cultivation as easy as eating and sleeping. I truly wonder what divine beasts would be like!"

He felt somewhat dispirited, realizing effort is nothing in the face of innate talent.