Chapter 109: Breakthrough! The Fake Pill

Inside the acupoint, beyond the more pronounced changes in breath, there was indeed a transformation of space itself. To the eye, it appeared just like a tangible, vivid realm. Except for the somewhat empty expanses, there was no other difference! The acupoint had become a true space; a genuine aura emerged, signifying its very existence.

It was like water—at a glance, one immediately recognized it as water. Like fire—just a look made clear that it was fire. This was a mark of identity, akin to a person’s name.

With the acupoint transformed into a space, imbued with an atmosphere and bearing its own name, it was established. This could be considered the true entry into the realm of the False Core.

Normally, at this point in a breakthrough, one would be nearly finished. No matter how strong one’s foundation, it rarely went beyond supporting the acupoint’s complete passage through the first gate of the False Core, which was already quite an accomplishment.

But Zhou Yi was different. His foundation was far stronger than anyone else’s—much stronger.

This was evident from the energy river still suspended in his mental space. After his acupoint became a true space and he fully stepped into the first gate of the False Core, the external energy not only did not diminish in the slightest; on the contrary, it grew grander, its aura increasingly potent.

The intensifying energy aura represented a greater output of power. If before, the energy output was like a gentle stream, flowing slowly with moderate momentum—still within the ordinary range—then after the acupoint fully crossed into the first gate of the False Core, everything changed.

The little stream became a mighty river. Beyond its grandeur, the real difference was in the actual increase in energy output.

The vast, surging energy formed rivers that thundered as they poured into the acupoint.

Inside the acupoint, now a genuine spatial domain, it accepted this vastly expanded energy river without any strain. The light of the Guiding Star in the air grew ever more dazzling; the light waves became denser, and the space itself continued to expand rapidly.

Time passed amid this process. The energy rivers flowed ceaselessly, as if they could run forever without weakening.

The radiance of the Guiding Star brightened, gradually shifting from the brightness of a star to that of a full moon. The space within the acupoint expanded at a tremendous rate every moment.

Somewhere along the way, Zhou Yi slowly awoke from that profound state. His figure standing within the space suddenly became more solid.

“Ha!” Zhou Yi gradually opened his eyes. A beam of light surged from them, accompanied by an otherworldly expression—as if he were an elder who had seen through the vicissitudes of life, radiating a brilliance of wisdom.

His gaze shifted between the energy river hanging in the air and the 365 acupoints continuously absorbing energy. His mood shifted from calm to excitement.

“The first gate of the False Core… is really achieved?” Feeling the state of his acupoints, even Zhou Yi—who had inherited the legacy of Heaven and Earth and knew much—could not help but be stunned, then thrilled.

“It hasn’t been that long, yet the acupoint has already reached the first gate of the False Core. Am I… truly at the False Core now?” His excitement was tinged with a hint of bewilderment. Having not witnessed the acupoint’s growth firsthand, the current situation felt somewhat unfamiliar.

“But although I’ve reached the first gate of the False Core, this breakthrough isn’t over. Far from it!” No matter; in an instant, Zhou Yi cast aside the faint unfamiliarity and looked excitedly toward the energy river at the horizon, his eyes sharp like a hunter eyeing prey.

“Energy River! The one and only chance!” Staring at the energy river, now fully comprehending its significance, Zhou Yi’s heart surged with uncontainable excitement.

The energy river! This was the origin of all Heaven and Earth’s energy, the source of their power, containing boundless energy.

Normally, the energy river remained hidden between Heaven and Earth, invisible.

It only appeared when celestial beings broke through the False Core, aiding them to overcome that initial gate.

The transformation of the acupoint into space, and the immense energy required between the six gates of the False Core, hints at this truth.

It was precisely because of the energy river’s presence that celestial beings had the chance to break through the False Core. Without it, the odds of breaking through would be virtually zero.

Almost no one could accumulate enough energy on their own to transform the acupoint.

Though the energy river’s primary function was to assist in breaking through the False Core, it was not limited to that alone.

The human body was like a vessel; the celestial being a cup; the False Core a bowl; the energy river, a flowing stream. During breakthrough, one drew energy from the river to enlarge or fill the vessel.

If capable, one could transform the bowl into a basin, a bucket, or even larger vessels—this was the method of acupoint growth.

Alternatively, one could simply fill the bowl with energy—this was the infusion method.

The duration of the energy river’s appearance depended on each individual’s situation. Some barely reached the False Core, and the river might appear only briefly—just long enough to barely support their breakthrough.

Others, with greater strength and sufficient accumulation, broke through the False Core naturally. For them, the energy river could remain for a long time, even after breakthrough, existing steadily for an extended period.

The longer the energy river persisted, the more energy one could absorb.

Therefore, the longer, the better.

With Zhou Yi's power, already at the peak of celestial beings and able to achieve the strength of an average False Core, his foundation and accumulation were so profound that it was almost unbelievable.

Zhou Yi understood this well. So when he awoke and saw that he had already stepped into the first gate of the False Core, he felt little shock. If any, it was surprise at how much time had passed—long enough for him to have become a False Core cultivator.

Given his strength and foundation, if the energy river had appeared only momentarily, that would have been truly shocking.

Now, the energy river seemed fixed in the air, completely steady. Zhou Yi’s heart remained calm. He sensed his own bodily condition and estimated the situation, smiling quietly.

With his foundation, he was certain this energy river could persist for a very long time.

“Maybe not just the second or third gate of the False Core… even the fourth gate isn’t impossible to imagine!” After calculating the pressure the energy river’s presence placed on him, Zhou Yi felt a strange excitement.

“If this time I can rely on the energy river to reach the fourth gate of the False Core in one go, then the path ahead will be far easier. Even venturing to Absolute World Island should pose no problem!” Zhou Yi narrowed his eyes, recalling the descriptions of the False Core realm from the legacy of Heaven and Earth.