I can increase my power through breathing.

Chapter 74 Fake Core, Real Core, and Golden Core
False elixir, true elixir, and golden elixir.

This not only demonstrates strength, but also represents potential.

Pseudo-Dan masters who have reached the 36th and 72nd stages of Dan cultivation not only have average strength among those at the same level, but also limited growth potential.

If no great opportunity arises to upgrade the false core to a true core, then one's cultivation level is basically fixed, with no hope of reaching the Grandmaster realm.

To break through to the Grandmaster realm, one needs to nurture a martial arts spirit with a true core.

However, if even the 'elixir' that is condensed is fake, then there is no soil to nurture the martial arts spirit. Therefore, to become a grandmaster, one must at least have a true elixir that has undergone 108 cycles of refinement.

Above that is the Golden Elixir, which has undergone one hundred and eighty cycles.

Three hundred and sixty revolutions is the limit of the Golden Elixir.

Even in the ancient times when spiritual energy was abundant, most of the so-called geniuses were Golden Core Grandmasters who had reached the 180th level of their core cultivation. Golden Core Grandmasters who could reach the 360th level were extremely rare, dominating an entire era.

In the process of refining Qi into pills, the final number of pills a True Qi Grandmaster can achieve, and whether it is a false pill, a true pill, or a golden pill, is basically determined when they choose their cultivation method at the beginning.

Zhou Qing's Innate Primordial True Skill can be refined into a pill through 360 cycles, but before refining the essence into a pill, he needs to open up 360 spiritual meridians.

The twelve regular meridians and eight extraordinary meridians alone cannot withstand the extreme compression of true qi. In order to refine qi into elixir, all cultivation methods have corresponding methods for opening the meridians.

The number of spiritual veins opened by different cultivation methods is also different. The meridian-opening method in ordinary innate cultivation methods can only open thirty-six or seventy-two spiritual veins, and what is finally condensed is a fake pill.

The Innate Primordial True Skill: Refining Qi into Elixir Chapter can open up 360 spiritual meridians, and ultimately the elixir can be refined 360 times.

If the number of spiritual veins opened is insufficient, and a True Qi Grandmaster tries to forcibly refine Qi into pills, his body will inevitably be unable to withstand the extreme compression of True Qi. At best, his meridians will be completely severed and all his power will be lost; at worst, he will explode and die.

Soon, Zhou Qing finished reading the "Refining Qi into Pills" chapter of the Innate Primordial True Skill, and he gained a clear understanding of his next cultivation path.

As long as enough Dao Source Points are accumulated, a spiritual vein can be opened.

After putting away the manual, Zhou Qing checked the other treasures in his storage bag.

"The Secret Technique of Qian Tian Transformation Treasure!"

Before long, Zhou Qing discovered a rather interesting manual.

The Qian Tian Hua Bao Secret Technique describes a strange and powerful secret art that involves refining oneself into a spiritual weapon. This technique is extremely domineering, requiring the cultivator to integrate all of their flesh, bones, meridians, and even soul into the spiritual weapon, becoming one with it. From then on, the spiritual weapon is me, and I am the spiritual weapon.

As long as the spiritual weapon remains, I will not die.

"Could it be that the Grandmaster of the Great Wei Dynasty cultivated the Qian Tian Transformation Treasure Secret Technique and merged himself into a spiritual weapon on the eve of his death?"

Zhou Qing thought to himself.

After all, while the four grandmasters were breaking the seal, a spiritual weapon that had reached the Transformation level flew out and escaped from this spiritual land ahead of time.

Grandmaster-level spiritual weapons are divided into three levels: Spiritual Conception, Transformation, and Mahayana.

Spirit-nurturing level spirit weapons have only begun to develop spirituality, and their spirits are still unaware of its existence. However, when a spirit weapon reaches the transformation level, it develops a complete spirit, possesses a certain degree of intelligence and self-awareness, and can fight autonomously.

If that Grandmaster of the Great Wei Dynasty were to cultivate the Qian Tian Hua Bao Secret Technique and integrate himself into a spiritual weapon, he would create a Transformation-level spiritual weapon and gain the combat experience of a Grandmaster.

Even an ordinary grandmaster might not be able to defeat him.

However, none of this has anything to do with Zhou Qing.

Soon.

Zhou Qing read through the entire Qian Tian Transformation Treasure Secret Technique. This secret technique not only allows one to merge oneself into a spiritual weapon and become a weapon spirit, but it can also be used to refine spiritual weapons. The spiritual weapon can improve its rank by constantly absorbing and refining spiritual objects from heaven and earth.

Inside the storage bag, there was nothing but martial arts manuals.

It seems that all the treasures and spiritual weapons were integrated into the spiritual weapon by that grandmaster, thus enabling the creation of a Transformation-level spiritual weapon.

However, for Zhou Qing, obtaining the Innate Primordial True Skill: Refining Qi into Pills was already an enormous gain.

As for that Transformation-level spiritual weapon, although it was extremely precious, it was ultimately beyond his current ability to contend for, and he could not force it.

"I wonder if any spiritual creatures have been born in this sacred land."

Zhou Qing put away the storage bag and began to wander around the mountain.

He could sense that the spiritual energy of heaven and earth contained in this mountain was much richer than that of the inferior spiritual land of the Vajra Sect.

Therefore, this is at least a medium-level spiritual place.

A medium-sized spiritual land can nurture spiritual creatures of heaven and earth.

"Ow!"

Suddenly, Zhou Qing faintly heard the sound of a dragon's roar echoing between heaven and earth.

"what sound?!"

Zhou Qing's heart stirred, and following the source of the dragon's roar, he moved like lightning, rushing towards the direction from which the sound came.

Along the way, Zhou Qing could feel the surrounding spiritual energy vibrating, as if being drawn together by some force, converging in the same direction.

"Could it be that a rare and precious creature from heaven and earth has truly been born?"

Zhou Qing secretly speculated in his heart.

Judging from the sound of the dragon's roar, this spiritual creature of heaven and earth is very likely related to dragons.

Thinking of this, Zhou Qing quickened his pace even further.

Soon after, he arrived at a valley.

In the center of the valley, a dazzling light was continuously blooming, and within that light, a miniature dragon was coiling, its body radiating a faint dragon's might.

"This is... a dragon vein!"

Zhou Qing was surprised.

He never expected that the spiritual treasures nurtured by this sacred land would be a dragon vein.

Although this mini dragon is not large, Zhou Qing can feel the immense power contained within it. If he can refine the dragon vein, not only will his cultivation level increase greatly, but more importantly, he can establish a dynasty and gather national fortune.

Of course, there are other ways to gather national fortune even without a dragon vein, but they are more complicated. If there is a dragon vein, everything is much simpler.

With the blessing of the nation's fortune, a martial artist's cultivation speed will increase dramatically, as if everything in the world is helping him. With the blessing of great fortune, one day of cultivation is equivalent to ten days or even a month for others.

However, bearing the nation's fortune for a long time would exhaust even a master of innate cultivation. Although the nation's fortune was good, it also carried a great burden. Therefore, most emperors, even if they became true alchemy masters, would often reach their limit within a hundred years.

This is also one of the reasons why emperors had short lifespans.

(End of this chapter)