Chapter 540

"I understand now; so that's how it is!" Ye Chen murmured to himself, a flash of realization in his eyes.

He had finally figured it out; the problem that had plagued him for days was now resolved.

Ever since he emerged from the secret realm that day, he had felt a dull ache in his dantian, and his spiritual energy flowed sluggishly. Initially, he thought it was an after-effect of the restrictions within the secret realm, but a careful examination revealed no abnormalities.

Now, as he peered into his dantian, he discovered a tiny crack on his normally smooth and perfect Golden Core. The crack was extremely faint; had his cultivation not advanced significantly at this moment, he might not have noticed it.

"A crack in the Golden Core... how is this possible?" Ye Chen's expression changed dramatically. The Golden Core was the foundation of an immortal cultivator; once damaged, it could lead to minor setbacks in cultivation or, worse, the collapse of one's cultivation base, resulting in death and the dissipation of one's Dao.

He had been in seclusion for several days, specifically to repair this seemingly insignificant crack. However, no matter how he channeled his spiritual energy, the crack remained stubbornly unchanged, even subtly showing a tendency to expand.

Just as he was at his wits' end, a sudden flash of inspiration struck him.

"Reverse life and death, break to establish!"

He abruptly opened his eyes, which shone with brilliant light. These eight characters were something his master had casually mentioned years ago when imparting an unparalleled cultivation technique to him. At the time, he hadn't paid much attention, but now, upon careful reflection, he found every word to be profound, containing deep meaning.

"Could it be that this crack isn't a bad thing, but rather an opportunity?"

Ye Chen's heartbeat suddenly quickened. He took a deep breath and began to attempt repairing his Golden Core in an entirely new way. He was no longer merely patching it up but guiding his spiritual energy, trying to transform the "break" of the crack into an opportunity for "establishment."

This process was filled with pain; every circulation of spiritual energy felt like a knife cutting him. Large beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, but he gritted his teeth, his gaze resolute.

Time passed, minute by minute.

Finally, as the last wisp of spiritual energy merged into the Golden Core, a crisp "crack" sound echoed within him. It wasn't the sound of breaking open, but rather the sound of some kind of shackles being shattered.

The crack on the Golden Core didn't disappear; instead, it became even more pronounced. But at the same time, a surge of immense power gushed from the Golden Core, instantly filling his limbs and bones.

Ye Chen felt his cultivation level rapidly skyrocketing. He peered into his dantian and saw new golden light faintly overflowing from the site of the crack. The crack seemed like a gateway, not a wound.

"Hahahaha!" Ye Chen burst into laughter, feeling immensely delighted. "Breaking to establish, indeed!"

He felt the surging power within him and knew that this misfortune had turned into a blessing, elevating his cultivation to a new level. This was smoother and more powerful than he had anticipated for an advancement.

He stood up, his spiritual energy swirling around him, as if about to burst through the roof. Outside the window, the rising sun cast its first rays upon him.

He knew that his era had only just begun.