"I wonder if any enemies will come looking for trouble this time?"
Qi Ping looked at the Li-Fire Crow, which was surrounded by terrifying Solar Power, and an inevitable trace of worry rose in his eyes.
The crow's breakthrough this time was not like the little stone essence's last time. Back then, Qi Ping had drawn the vast majority of the Golden Core cultivators of the Qingyuan Sect and several from the Immortal Alliance away. Thus, there was a significant probability that the crow's breakthrough would be disturbed.
Qi Ping also knew that many Golden Core cultivators had sensed the aura of the lightning tribulation permeating the sky above the Qingtian Domain last time. They had simply been too preoccupied with the matter of Qi Ping slaying Golden Cores to investigate.
"But regardless, a suitable opportunity for a breakthrough is something that can be sought but not found. If it's time to break through, then break through we must!"
"And I have already made every preparation I possibly could!"
He had prepared everything for combat and escape: the little stone essence, the Earth-Vein Ants, the Sun-Blaze Seal carried by the Treant Clone, the formations, and the royal-grade bees.
Although the result of the Cloud-Mist Immortal Tiger's divination was 'Fortunate,' there was a faint, flickering black energy surrounding that thick aura of good fortune.
If Qi Ping's preparations were insufficient, 'Fortunate' could easily turn into 'Ominous.'
A phrase the little tiger often used was 'Heavenly secrets are hard to fathom; fortune and misfortune are intertwined.' Matters of divination were for reference only; acting with caution and making full preparations were the best ways to respond.
Furthermore, when Qi Ping had the little tiger calculate what would happen if they changed the location or time of the breakthrough, the resulting omens of fortune and woe were similar. Therefore, it was better to take advantage of the crow's current peak state and break through to Rank 3 to condense its monster core now!
In the cultivation world, the Core Formation Tribulation was nearly the first great ordeal on the path of any living being. The Heart-Demon Tribulation and Lightning Tribulation were only part of it; the Human Tribulation was often the greatest challenge. Countless cultivators had fallen under the weight of the Human Tribulation.
In fact, many in the cultivation world believed the Human Tribulation was the most difficult step. Many peerless geniuses and high-level cultivators had perished because of it.
Qi Ping had no worries about the crow's foundation. If the crow could not break through, then likely very few cultivators would ever meet the requirements.
What truly worried Qi Ping was indeed the Human Tribulation.
"However, the escape route is completely set. Even if we face a Nascent Soul cultivator, as long as they don't specialize in both Metal and Earth paths, they won't necessarily be able to stop us."
At this thought, Qi Ping felt much more at ease.
Above a vast valley, a fierce avian beast radiating powerful bloodline pressure and a ferocious aura—the Li-Fire Crow—was circling in the sky.
As the figure circled, an incredibly searing Solar Power was violently pulled toward it, falling upon its body like a rain of sunlight. A brilliant golden flame burned fiercely upon its form!
Yet, what was most magnificent was that within this vast and powerful phenomenon, a golden circular object began to gestate and condense, fueled by all the spiritual energy, rules, and will within the phenomenon.
The moment this circular object appeared, a powerful pressure belonging to a Rank 3 fierce bird suddenly descended!
However, this was not even the most exaggerated part. The most terrifying thing was that a figure radiating the pressure of an ancient fierce bird faintly appeared within that golden sphere...
"Is that... the phantom of the Divine Beast Golden Crow!"
Seeing this figure, Qi Ping's pupils shrank violently.
He had not expected that the crow would awaken its bloodline power to such an extent while condensing its monster core!
To have the phantom of a Divine Beast appear while condensing a monster core was an occurrence that was extremely rare and monstrous even among the monster race.
One could say that the appearance of this phantom proved the crow's efforts over the years had definitely not been in vain. Having devoured a vast amount of Solar Power and resources from the Radiant Sun Tree, it was finally seeing the harvest.
For the crow to achieve this at only Rank 3 was exceptionally rare. Generally, those who could do this possessed bloodlines far denser than the crow's.
But then, something even more surprising to Qi Ping happened. Under the crow's will, the Divine Beast phantom began to move in perfect synchronization with the crow. The movements were uncannily identical, helping the crow condense this monster core—a fruit of the Dao that gathered all its prior cultivation success.
Being able to do this proved that the crow had already achieved a consummate, transcendent control over its bloodline, rather than merely relying on it for combat.
Whether a monster could break through the shackles of its bloodline depended on resources, but even more so on this kind of transcendent control. A monster that only relied on its bloodline instincts for combat would likely be consumed and killed by the will within the bloodline if given higher-level resources.
Qi Ping looked at the crow's state with a face full of pleasant surprise and eyes full of admiration. The crow truly was the animal companion he had always been most optimistic about. He had never doubted for a moment that it could rise from a tiny Li-Fire Crow.
Just as the crow began to condense its monster core, the aura of the world changed. Strands of heavy, oppressive Heavenly Might began to gather.
"The aura of the lightning tribulation..."
Sensing the vast Heavenly Might, Qi Ping couldn't help but sigh. This kind of power was not something he could currently interrupt.
"The path of the Dao was never meant to be smooth sailing. Since I've made every preparation I can, what is there to fear?"
If a Nascent Soul cultivator came, Qi Ping would still dare to challenge them.
Having stilled his heart, Qi Ping used the Supernal Eyes and Supernal Comprehension granted by the Mirror of Profound Illumination to observe the lightning power that was beginning to permeate the area, as well as the crow at the center.
As a monster with the Golden Crow bloodline, the solar power and Law of Fire that the crow practiced were also what Qi Ping studied. Therefore, the crow's breakthrough and the power of its bloodline were of immense benefit to Qi Ping as well.
Gradually, Qi Ping became immersed in the surging power and thick Dao-rhyme brought by the crow's breakthrough. One insight after another began to rise in his heart.
As time passed, two days later, Qi Ping's comprehension of the Fire Intent suddenly broke through to the second stage. Even his comprehension of the Solar Intent was continuously improving.
Another day passed. The crow's breakthrough had reached its final stage, and the monster core's condensation was nearing completion.
The powerful Golden Crow phantom surfaced clearly above the monster core, and the pressure belonging to a Rank 3 monster gradually became stable and formidable.
The vast tribulation clouds in the sky had all gathered, and bolts of lightning that made one's scalp tingle snaked through the clouds...
And it was at this critical juncture that two auras belonging to Golden Core cultivators suddenly appeared within the perception of Qi Ping's bees.
When this information was transmitted to Qi Ping, he also emerged from his state of meditation.
A moment later, two Golden Core figures appeared within the range of Qi Ping's own perception...