Chapter 121: The Art of the External Core
Yuqian Market.
This market was founded by Master Yuquan, a powerful cultivator at the Golden Core stage. With such a formidable presence overseeing it, Yuquan Market had been able to grow and thrive peacefully for several centuries.
By now, Yuquan Market had become the most prosperous large-scale market in the entire region.
However, a rumor had recently begun circulating—whispers that Master Yuquan had failed in his attempt to break through to the Nascent Soul stage and had perished as a result. Of course, most people scoffed at this claim.
After all, a few years ago, a Golden Core cultivator who had apparently believed that rumor tried to stir up trouble in Yuquan Market, only to be struck down by a terrifying flash of sword light.
After that incident, no one dared to believe the rumor anymore.
"I wonder if they have the External Core Technique here." A middle-aged man scanned the shops lining the street as he walked through Yuquan Market.
Wherever he passed, crowds parted to make way, their expressions filled with deference and awe—for he was a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
In Yuquan Market, this level of cultivation easily qualified one as a powerful figure.
This man was none other than Gu Mo, who had used a concealment technique to disguise his appearance and physique. However, he hadn't suppressed his cultivation with any aura-concealing methods.
Revealing his mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation made things much simpler—it kept unnecessary trouble at bay.
In fact, Gu Mo's original plan had been to fully conceal his presence and appear as a mere Qi Refining cultivator. But along the way, he'd encountered several rogue cultivators who, seeing him alone and seemingly weak, had tried to rob him.
There was no denying it—outside the bounds of a sect, the world of cultivation was rife with danger. Unlike within a sect, where internal competition existed but was kept in check by regulations, the open world lacked such limits.
After easily disposing of those would-be robbers, Gu Mo changed his strategy and stopped hiding his cultivation. As expected, the rest of his journey was uneventful; no other troublemakers dared approach.
"This should be the place."
After walking for a while, Gu Mo stopped in front of a tall building. The sign above read "Treasure Pavilion." Even though it was his first time here, the name alone made the establishment's purpose clear.
"Senior, please come inside!"
The attendant at the door had sensed Gu Mo's undisguised mid-stage Foundation Establishment aura and immediately bowed respectfully, ushering him into the building.
Gu Mo glanced at the attendant leading the way. This wasn't an ordinary person—it was a Qi Refining cultivator, albeit at the early stage. Still, the fact that the Treasure Pavilion employed cultivators as greeters spoke volumes about its strength and wealth.
"Greetings, fellow Daoist!"
Soon after entering, a Foundation Establishment cultivator came forward with a warm smile. According to his self-introduction, he was the manager of the Treasure Pavilion.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Gu Mo got straight to the point. His main purpose in coming here was to purchase the Art of the External Elixir—everything else was secondary.
"You're looking for the Art of the External Elixir?"
The manager's expression showed a trace of surprise upon hearing Gu Mo's request. After all, Gu Mo was only at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, while cultivating the External Core Technique generally required at least late-stage Foundation Establishment—ideally, peak Foundation Establishment—to be safe.
Moreover, one couldn't even begin to practice the art without a Tier 3 monster core, which was the true centerpiece of the whole technique.
"What? You don't have it?" Gu Mo asked when he saw the manager's reaction.
"We do carry the Art of the External Elixir. I'll have someone fetch it right away," the Foundation Establishment cultivator replied, then instructed a servant to bring over a jade slip.
Gu Mo accepted the jade slip and scanned it with his divine sense. It was indeed a technique for cultivating the External Elixir. Of course, he could only view a portion of the content; the full text was locked by a restriction seal, which would need to be broken to access the complete method.
"How much does it cost?" Gu Mo asked the most important question.
He currently had over two hundred mid-grade spirit stones, tens of thousands of low-grade ones, several high-tier magical tools, and some Tier 2 pills. That amount of resources wouldn't be enough to buy a standard Tier 3 cultivation method, but techniques like the External Core Technique were more niche and typically less expensive.
After all, the real cost of cultivating this art lay in acquiring the Tier 3 monster core—not the technique itself.
"Five thousand low-grade spirit stones."
The manager named his price. For a Qi Refining cultivator, five thousand spirit stones was an astronomical sum. Even most newly advanced Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators wouldn't have that much on hand.
But for a Tier 3 technique like the Art of the External Elixir, this was a bargain.
Since the price was fair, Gu Mo didn't hesitate. He immediately handed over the five thousand spirit stones and took the now-unsealed jade slip before leaving the Treasure Pavilion.
As he departed, the manager of the Treasure Pavilion pulled out a transmission jade talisman and sent out a message.
Soon after, in a manor located at the center of Yuquan Market, an elderly cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment gazed at the message glowing within his transmission talisman, a glint of sharpness flashing through his eyes.
He was the true ruler of Yuquan Market—Hua Daoliang—once a registered disciple of Master Yuquan. The whole story about the market being founded by Master Yuquan was just a cover Hua Daoliang had concocted.
Of course, once the market had been established, Hua Daoliang had brought a large portion of its profits as tribute to Master Yuquan. In return, Master Yuquan had personally visited and legitimized the entire operation.
Cultivators—regardless of their cultivation realm—are all equally hungry for resources. The profits a single marketplace can generate are by no means a trivial sum.
There's no need to manage it personally—just lending one's name is enough to earn a massive amount of spirit stones. Even a powerful Golden Core cultivator like Master Yuquan couldn't help but be tempted.
With Master Yuquan publicly backing it, the development of the marketplace entered a period of rapid growth. Though most of its profits had to be offered to him, the remainder was still more than enough for Hua Daoliang to quickly improve his cultivation.
As time passed, Master Yuquan finally prepared to take that critical step forward in his cultivation. After leaving a voice transmission for Hua Daoliang, he disappeared.
That message turned out to be the last transmission Hua Daoliang ever received from Master Yuquan. Despite exhausting every avenue in search of his master, no further information could be found.
With Master Yuquan—the pillar of support—gone, immense pressure fell on Hua Daoliang. The profits generated by the marketplace each year were so enticing that even many Golden Core cultivators coveted them. But with Master Yuquan's strength as a deterrent, no one dared to interfere. If it became known that he had vanished, these people would definitely pounce at the first opportunity.
Though Hua Daoliang did everything he could to hide Master Yuquan's disappearance, rumors eventually began to spread. After all, it was a fact that Master Yuquan had not appeared for years. Not long after these whispers surfaced, a Golden Core cultivator arrived.
Realizing the danger, Hua Daoliang didn't hesitate to use the trump card Master Yuquan had left him, killing that Golden Core cultivator and temporarily quelling the threat.
However, that trump card—capable of instantly killing a Golden Core cultivator—was a one-time use. If another one showed up, Hua Daoliang would have no way to stop them.
Unless Hua Daoliang himself stepped into the Golden Core realm. Even forming a False Core or External Core would be enough—combined with the marketplace's defensive formations, he would no longer have to fear other Golden Core cultivators.
But there was a reason he was only a registered disciple of Master Yuquan—his talent was mediocre. Using the marketplace's wealth, he had managed to push his cultivation to the peak of Foundation Establishment, but advancing further was nearly impossible.
Moreover, his lifespan was nearing its limit. If he died, the younger members of his clan wouldn't be able to hold on to the marketplace.
While he was weighed down with worry, Hua Daoliang received a message: a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator had purchased a manual on External Core refinement from the Treasure Pavilion.
External Core refinement—a technique rarely purchased unless someone was seriously planning to cultivate it.
And cultivating this technique required a third-rank demon core. In other words, that mid-stage Foundation cultivator very likely had one on him.
Third-rank demon beasts were no weaker than true Golden Core cultivators in combat. In terms of physical strength and innate abilities, they often outclassed human cultivators, making them extremely difficult to kill. Some, upon realizing they were outmatched, would even self-destruct their demon cores to die with their enemy.
This made acquiring a third-rank demon core extremely difficult.
For years, Hua Daoliang had been searching for one. With no hope of forming a true or false core, becoming an External Core cultivator was his last path forward.
As long as he could become one, he would gain a few extra centuries of life and full control over the marketplace's defensive formations—no longer needing to fear the greed of Golden Core cultivators.
But third-rank demon cores were incredibly rare. Even if someone had one, they'd never sell it. After all, a single third-rank demon core could create an External Core cultivator. Only a fool would sell that.
Failing to obtain one through purchase, Hua Daoliang had been preparing to bring all his wealth to the city auction in hopes of getting lucky.
Yet fate took a sudden turn: a mid-stage Foundation cultivator possibly had a third-rank demon core. It was like an opportunity dropped from the heavens.
Of course, what was a great opportunity for Hua Daoliang would be a disaster for that mid-stage Foundation cultivator. But such was the nature of the cultivation world.
"Someone's already tailing me?"
Gu Mo frowned. Ever since leaving the Treasure Pavilion, he sensed he was being followed. He knew the cultivation world was treacherous, but he hadn't expected trouble the very first time he came out to buy something.
He ignored the ones shadowing him and rented a cave residence in the marketplace, planning to study the External Core technique. If it suited him, he would immediately begin refining his False Core.
His external incarnation had brought the False Core with it on this trip, so that upon acquiring the technique, he could start refining it without delay.
If any greedy eyes turned his way after showing wealth, Gu Mo would have nothing to fear.
He wasn't worried about being attacked within the marketplace.
The prosperity of any marketplace relied heavily on safety. Only those that could ensure the safety of cultivators would attract visitors.
Thus, any cultivator who dared to cause trouble in a marketplace would be eliminated without hesitation.
"He rented a cave residence? Planning to stay and cultivate?" Hua Daoliang frowned upon hearing the report. If the target stayed within the marketplace, he really couldn't act.
This was his marketplace, which provided him with enormous annual profits. Especially now, with Master Yuquan gone, all of that revenue was his alone.
If he acted within the marketplace and the news got out, its reputation would be ruined. Without trust, its decline would only be a matter of time.
"Keep an eye on him. Report any movement immediately," Hua Daoliang ordered. He wasn't lacking in patience.
That mid-stage Foundation cultivator hadn't even reached the late stage. Hua Daoliang wasn't concerned about him successfully refining the External Core.
In fact, the safest point to refine an External Core was at the peak of Foundation Establishment. Even at the late stage, the failure rate was significant. As for the mid-stage? There had never been a single case of success.
Marketplace cave residence.
Gu Mo took out the jade slip containing the External Core refinement technique and began reading it with his divine sense. A puzzled look soon appeared on his face.
Ninety percent of the manual focused on how to process a third-rank demon core—cleansing residual beast souls, refining the demon energy, and so on.
Because human cultivators were highly incompatible with demon cores, refining one into an External Core required extensive preparation.
Different External Core techniques used different methods to process the demon core. Higher-grade methods tended to be more thorough and offered a greater chance of success during refinement.
The one Gu Mo had obtained was rather ordinary, but it didn't matter—he didn't need to process his False Core at all, because it had been refined by himself. Its power and his incarnation shared the same origin.
So Gu Mo skipped the first 90% and went straight to the final refinement method.
The effectiveness of an External Core technique largely depended on how it processed the core; the actual refinement method was usually quite similar.
"So that's how it works… Seems pretty straightforward." After reading the final part, Gu Mo had a moment of clarity.
Since the refinement wasn't particularly difficult, he didn't hesitate and began the process immediately.
Several hours later, Gu Mo stared at the False Core in his dantian with a dazed expression. The refinement had gone so smoothly he started to wonder if he had done something wrong.
According to the jade slip, External Core refinement involved multiple challenging stages. But the moment he started refining the False Core, it slid effortlessly into his incarnation's dantian.
There wasn't a single obstacle—it was as if the False Core had belonged there all along. Which wasn't inaccurate: the False Core had originally come from the incarnation's dantian. It was simply returning to its source. And though it wasn't the same incarnation, their origins were identical. It could be considered the same entity.
Of course, the False Core's presence wasn't without impact. Gu Mo now felt as if a mountain had settled in his dantian. The crushing pressure slowed the flow of spiritual power throughout his body.
His physique couldn't quite bear the False Core's weight. Had it not shared the same origin as his incarnation, any ordinary mid-stage Foundation cultivator who attempted this with a third-rank demon core—assuming they even succeeded—would have their body crushed by the core's weight.
(Show your support and read more chapters on my Patreon: [email protected]/psychopet. Thank you for your support!)