After reaching peak foundation building realm red liquid Qi in the dantian began to solidify, showing the natural progression toward forming a pill, but as it showed signs of solidifying further, his mini-sun within his body reacted. The mini-sun, which had always been a source of immense power and danger, would stop the process whenever the Qi showed the tendency to form the pill. It seemed as though the mini-sun's influence interfered with the natural progression of his Qi, halting its transformation.
Lu Fan could feel the tension in his body as the forces inside him fought for control. This strange phenomenon left him in a state of confusion—his body's power was now at odds with his very own cultivation.
This reaction was strikingly similar to the time when Lu Fan attempted to inscribe the Totem Art onto his body, only to be halted by an overwhelming surge of electricity—a clear sign of the Thunder dominance over him. In the same way, the mini-sun now exerted its dominance over his dantian, refusing to allow anything but itself to remain inside. The mini-sun was territorial, and it would not tolerate any other forces competing for space within his dantian.
While he could house supplementary weapons like his mirror in the dantian, they were secondary to his cultivation, mere tools rather than the core of his power. On the other hand, a Golden Core required absolute control over the dantian and body, something that only a Golden Core cultivator could wield. If Lu Fan ever wanted to form his Golden Core, it seemed clear that he would first have to gain the permission of the mini-sun.
This led him to the burning question: How could he possibly do that? How could he convince or force the mini-sun to allow the formation of a Golden Core within his body?
The mini-sun was a non-living entity, an energy source born from the fusion of his heart flame and True Sunfire. It had no consciousness of its own, no way to communicate or reason with him. Therefore, simply asking it for permission wasn't an option. This left Lu Fan in a difficult position. He could not forcefully override the mini-sun's control, nor could he proceed with his cultivation without resolving this issue.
For now, he had no choice but to pause his cultivation and wait. As frustrating as it was, he knew that the answer would not come through brute force. He needed a strategy, a deeper understanding of the mini-sun's nature, and perhaps a way to integrate his growing power with the demands of his body. Until he had a breakthrough or an idea, he had to stop. Patience would be his only ally in this moment of stagnation.
Stuck in both his body tempering and Qi cultivation, Lu Fan realized that remaining in isolation would only further stagnate his progress. He had reached a crossroads where his current understanding could take him no further. Desperate for a breakthrough, he decided that it was time to leave his island and venture into the world once more.
Travelling had always brought him new insights, new experiences that sparked inspiration. Perhaps through exposure to different environments, people, and challenges, he could find a new approach or solution to his problems. The world outside was vast and full of untapped potential. Lu Fan hoped that by stepping away from his current stagnation, he would unlock the next step in his cultivation path. It was time for him to journey again, seek wisdom, and perhaps discover something that would change his situation.
While travelling through a bustling town, Lu Fan overheard a group of cultivators discussing a new and rapidly rising faction—the Holy Fire Sect. The sect had been gaining notoriety across the cultivation world for its unique blend of Holy Fire cultivation methods, which were said to be based on teachings similar to his own. To his surprise, their success seemed directly tied to his teachings of Holy Sunfire and other martial arts that he had knowingly passed down.
Lu Fan listened intently as the cultivators described how the Holy Fire Sect had been hunting down evil cultivators, using a combination of his martial arts and an innate form of Holy Fire. They even mentioned a few people who had become remarkably powerful after adopting his methods. It was evident that the Holy Fire Sect had taken his ideas and spread them with such fervor that they were now causing significant shifts in the balance of power in the cultivation world.
Despite his surprise, Lu Fan didn't feel any deep sense of responsibility toward the Holy Fire Sect. He had never intended for his teachings to be used to create such a large and organized sect. Although their actions appeared aligned with his personal values, Lu Fan preferred to maintain his independence and avoid getting involved with the growing sect. After all, he had always walked his own path—one where he used his abilities for personal growth, and not for the building of institutions or allegiances.
Moreover, Lu Fan knew that if he engaged with the Holy Fire Sect, it could drag him into unnecessary conflicts, especially considering their militant stance against evil cultivators. He had his own goals to focus on, and involving himself in the politics of this new sect could divert his attention from his own cultivation journey. So, despite the allure of their success, he decided to remain distant from their operations, continuing his travels with the goal of achieving his own breakthrough.