Holding the Dragon King's specially granted token, guided by a taciturn Dragon Palace elder, Tang Xiaoqi passed through layers of restrictions, stepping into a tower-shaped building seemingly constructed from countless giant blue crystals—the Vast Sea Pavilion.
Upon entering, Xiaoqi felt a vast, like an ocean, accumulated endless years aura wash over him. Unlike the Dragon Hall's golden splendor, the Vast Sea Pavilion's interior had soft light, silent. Only countless floating orbs mid-air radiating various soft halos, like summer night stars, slowly circling. Each orb represented a text or series of texts, containing massive information.
The air (permeated) with book-specific ink fragrance and an indescribable wisdom Dao rhythm. The spiritual energy here wasn't violent but gentle as water, nourishing souls, naturally calming hearts.
"Daoist Tang, this is the Vast Sea Pavilion's first level. It mostly contains miscellaneous studies, travelogues, customs records, and basic cultivation world knowledge. Above, second level has technique fragments and annotations, third level has alchemy, artifacts, talismans, formations and other auxiliary cultivation paths. Fourth level contains Dragon Palace secrets and ancient forbidden arts—only core members may enter. His Majesty specially permits you to read the first two levels. One day's time. Please do as you wish." The elder's hoarse voice finished, then stood like a statue at the entrance, silent.
One day's time, seemingly not short, yet for this ocean of books was merely a drop in the ocean. Xiaoqi didn't dare delay. Divine sense like a tide spread out, carefully touching those floating orbs.
He first locked his target on ancient secrets, (heaven and earth strange beasts), and Golden Core insights texts. This knowledge was exactly what he urgently needed, key to greatly broadening horizons and consolidating foundation.
Divine sense integrated into a pale golden orb. Instantly, as if crossing ten thousand ancient years, scenes of vast land appeared—giant gods propping sky, fierce beasts roaring, pioneers enduring hardships... This was the "Records of Wilderness Antiquity" recording ancient myths and lost civilization traces. Xiaoqi devoured the information. Though many records were vague, even legendary, they gave him (completely new) understanding of the world's vastness and history's weight.
Another water-blue orb, named "Records of Ten Thousand Waters and Thousand Mountains," wasn't a technique but travel notes left by an ancient water tribe great one's journey. It detailed the four seas' water vein characteristics, many rare water tribe species' natural talents, and some heaven and earth wonders hidden in secret realms and great marshes. Xiaoqi's understanding of water elemental spiritual energy, while reading these vivid descriptions, subtly improved. Especially combined with his Azure Dragon Soul Crystal, his understanding of "water" Dao became deeper.
He also found "Preliminary Understanding of Golden Core Great Dao" by a human Golden Core master. It wasn't specific Golden Core methods but detailed elaboration of various checkpoints, heart demon trials, spiritual energy compression techniques, and subtle differences and precautions when forming Golden Core with different elemental techniques. These precious experiences, like a lighthouse in darkness, pointed his direction and cleared many mists for his upcoming Golden Core path.
Besides these main targets, Xiaoqi also divided attention to browse other miscellaneous studies.
He saw "Illustrated Guide to Strange Beasts" recording various heaven and earth strange beast forms, habits, weaknesses—including true dragons, phoenixes, qilin and other divine beasts' brief descriptions, broadening his horizons about cultivation world's biological diversity.
He read "Customs Examination of Ten Thousand Races" discussing different races' and regions' customs, cultures and cultivation systems—understanding why Southern Frontier sorcery was uncanny, Northern Plains body cultivation strong, Overseas Dao techniques strange.
He also found some jade slips about formation basics, spirit grass identification, ore characteristics—though just skimming, still greatly enriched his knowledge.
Time flew in this absorbed reading.
Xiaoqi was like a giant sponge, frantically absorbing the Vast Sea Pavilion's knowledge nourishment. His divine sense operated at unprecedented intensity, sorting, memorizing, understanding massive information. Thanks to the realm cultivation's soul tempering, he could support such high-intensity reading.
He learned forming a Golden Core wasn't simple spiritual energy compression but a life-form level leap. It required clear understanding of one's Dao path and initial resonance with heaven-earth laws. Golden Core quality also varied—related to cultivator's foundation, technique, comprehension, even the fortune at the moment of formation.
He learned many ancient secrets—some once glorious yet mysteriously vanished sects, some vague records about heaven-earth great calamities, even some forbidden grounds and secret realms even Dragon Palace couldn't explore.
He gained deeper understanding of various exotic races and strange beasts' abilities. Future encounters, he would be prepared.
Unconsciously, the one-day limit approached.
When the elder's hoarse voice again sounded, reminding time was up, Xiaoqi suddenlycame to senses (came to senses) from the ocean of knowledge.
He slowly retracted divine sense. Though spiritually slightly tired, his eyes were startlingly bright. One day's harvest couldn't be measured by spirit stones or artifacts. His horizons were greatly broadened, his foundation more substantial in invisible ways. For his path ahead, especially the Golden Core realm, he had clearer, more comprehensive planning and understanding.
Many confusions encountered in previous cultivation, after reading senior masters' insights and observations, suddenly cleared. Especially that "Preliminary Understanding of Golden Core Great Dao" made him understand the Golden Core formation process thoroughly, confidence greatly increased.
He bowed sincerely to the statue-like elder, thanking, then turned to leave the Vast Sea Pavilion.
Outside the pavilion, the outside light made him squint slightly. He took a deep breath. The entire world seemed slightly different in his eyes. This was the confidence and composure that knowledge brings.
The Dragon Palace trip—feast's disturbance, Dragon King's recognition, Crown Prince's friendship, and especially this one day's reading—all brought immense benefit. Now it was time to leave Dragon Palace and find that final opportunity to formally break through to Golden Core.
He clenched his fist, feeling the already perfect peak Foundation Establishment spiritual energy within and the vast knowledge reserves in his mind. His gaze was firm.
Golden Core, not far!