The Last Primal

Naturally, Aiden had heard of that saying before. However, he did not believe that the Pure Maiden Sect's tripod was the same thing.

"I don't know…" He shook his head.

Holy Maiden Sylvie Dewa smiled. "Hehe… they are naturally used for growing stronger!"

When he saw that Holy Maiden Sylvie Dewa clearly did not wish to elaborate, Aiden did not question further.

"I'm going!"

She waved to Aiden with her back facing him. "I'll tease you again next time."

Gazing at Holy Maiden Sylvie Dewa's departing back view, Aiden took a deep breath of air and turned to leave as well, heading towards Azure Myst Sect.

This time round, he intended to enter seclusion to try and form his core upon returning!

Aiden wanted to form his cores for both his immortality and demonic cultivations!

…

Nighttime.

Azure Myst Sect, a cave abode.

Aiden assumed a sitting, meditative position and his eyes were shut.

He had already sat there for several hours without budging like a statue.

Although it seemed like he did not make any progress, Aiden was making preparations to ensure that nothing went wrong.

He was getting ready for the push.

There were only 12 words in the first sentence of the Core Formation section.

One had to stay calm, his or her mind serene, and free of the worldly obtrusions.

That was the first and most important step to core formation.

An active mind was like a monkey, unable to keep still.

The fluctuations of emotions was like overactive stamina, running wildly.

One had to conquer the monkey mind and overactive stamina with unparalleled determination and even subdue dragons or tigers if necessary!

All things were connected.

In the top sects, one would achieve a pure mind by adhering to the extremities of silence. In the religious factions, one would chant their holy scripture proclamations and refrain from speaking. In reality, all of those were guiding one towards calming the storming mind and the overactive stamina of one's intents!

For young people, they were inexperienced and emotional. As such, it was the most difficult for them to calm the 'monkey' mind while meditating.

Older martial artists have been through endless events and are jaded towards the world. As such, it becomes comparatively easy for them instead.

Although Aiden was not old and he had meditated for less than 30 years by now, he had been through endless ups and downs in life and wandered around the boundaries of death as well.

His mind was resolute and could not be moved.

Often, he treated things with humbleness and took care of the overall picture, paying keen attention to things.

He took things in his stride and did not overly meddle. Subconsciously, he was already suppressing his monkey mind and the overactive stamina while subduing dragons and tigers with supreme determination!

After entering meditation, the first few sections of the Ancient Primordial Dragon Manual revolved through his mind in an unhurried motion thoroughly.

It went from the beginning, Body Tempering, to Tendons Transformation, Bones Strengthening, Marrow Cleansing, Organs Refinement, then to the Orifice Cleansing section…

There was a remark in the Core Formation section: "Focus your energy to the five organs and consume the seven lights!"

The seven lights referred to the seven orifices.

As time flowed, countless nights passed by in the blink of an eye.

Within the cave abode, the wild, untainted essence that was surrounding Aiden intensified and his seven orifices shone with a bright, almost divine radiance.

His skin, flesh, tendons, bones, marrow, organs and seven orifices formed a perfect Major Heavenly Cycle, circulating endlessly.

Gradually, the wild, untainted essence outside his body started converging towards the center of his chest.

After Martial Practitioner and Martial Knight, martial artists would enter the so-called Core Formation semi-stage, and eventually, a new small Crystal Core would be created an inch beneath their naval, officially marking their entrance into the realm of the true powerhouses of the world, the Master Masters and above.

But now, the location of Aiden's vital essence for his Primal Core was clearly different!

It was at the center of his chest, extremely close to his heart. One could say it was an extension of it.

The golden-colored, wild raging essence was limitless and boundless, converging towards his chest repeatedly while swirling, as if a massive vortex was about to materialize!

Be it for beasts, demons, or any other mortal race, core formation was always the most critical step of their martial path!

This was a sort of finale towards their earlier path of the martial way.

After forming a core, it would be the first time they truly broke free of the shackles of heaven and earth, increasing their lifespans.

If they failed, everything would come to an end!

Aiden was motionless and his black hair swayed without any wind. A series of ancient figures, silhouettes were conjured around him, baring their claws and fangs with a menacing ferocity as their eyes shimmered with a red gleam.

All of those ancient apparitions paused for a brief moment before being sucked into Aiden's chest by that golden vortex!

Aiden's aura was turning increasingly terrifying!

Under the shroud of the scarlet vortex, his body underwent another baptism and transformed once more.

His flesh started expanding and his bones and veins shook and buzzed, as though metal was clashing.

Twitching violently, his major tendons gave off snapping sounds like thunder and it was shuddering!

"Hmm?"

At the back mountain from Ethereal's main peak, the old heavenly swan felt something and jolted awake from her meditation session.

A bit more than a few days ago, Azure Myst Sect experienced a calamity and suffered immense losses. Up till now, many martial artists were still healing and had not recovered completely.

Even though the old heavenly swan was in a closed door session to consolidate her newfound realm, she was paying attention to any activity within the sect's territory with keen eyes.

Right now, she was in the Lesser God realm and her strength had grown immensely. Her Essence Spirit's cultivation had also deepened as well.

When released, her spirit consciousness could travel thousands of kilometers away and every single slight activity would be noticed by her!

She sensed the strange situation on Aiden's side a long time ago.

"What a strong aura. He's about to break through!"

Although the old heavenly swan was at the back mountain, her spirit consciousness engulfed Aiden's cave abode, and saw everything clearly.

As time passed by, the shock in the old heavenly swan's eyes deepened.

"Even a pure-blooded ferocious beast doesn't have such a strong ferocious technique within its lineage memories!"

She murmured to herself sternly. "This lad truly has too many secrets on him."

Even with her experience, she could not see through all the secrets.

They were things that she could not comprehend even at her martial realm!

How could a mortal cultivate a technique meant for demonic beasts?

In the primordial era where the thousands of races reigned, an apocalyptic battle broke out and countless races were destroyed, going extinct.

The races that remained formed a massive group that became known as the demons to the later generations.

Therefore, there were many different types of demonic beasts and birds, beasts, flora, fishes, and even insects were considered as part of it.

A massive bear that was as big as a mountain could be considered as a demonic beast. However, the same could be said for an ant as tiny as a speck of dust or even a blade of grass in the forest!

There were many legends in the martial world of grasses and wood obtaining spirits and gaining the opportunity to reach higher realms of existence.

The myriad of varieties meant that every single demonic beast had a different body structure and it was even more different when compared to the other races.

For example, floral demonic beasts did not have skin, flesh, tendons, bones, or organs.

Bulls had four hooves and two horns while snake demons had no legs nor horns…

The old heavenly swan truly could not imagine how there would be a demonic beast technique that any mortal person could train in this world, let alone one that was so terrifying!

Unless, there was a single possibility.

It was a technique that retained all the essence of various martial techniques. By sieving out the portions that were suitable for a mortal to cultivate, one could combine all of those together!

However, that was a massive project and would require unimaginable effort and focus!

Even the ancient emperors wouldn't be able to do it.

Who was it who could have created such a martial technique?

What was the point of this martial technique's existence?

Could this terrifying being have spent endless effort and hard work just to create this demon martial technique to impart to Aiden?

The old heavenly swan fell into deep thoughts.

…

It was pitch-black within the cave abode.

Suddenly.

Aiden opened his eyes and it was extremely sinister, like two flashes of lightning streaking through the dark night!

*Swoosh!*

He stood up and his flesh expanded. His bones shifted with a series of cracking sounds and his entire body grew, as though he was about to break through the clouds!

It was akin to the rise of a massive ancient demon in the darkness!

*Bang!* *Boom!* *Boom!*

Aiden's body continued growing endlessly and his head was almost bursting through the ceiling of the cave abode. The entire place shook as though it was about to collapse at any moment.