The thin blue Spiritual Energy Shield covering the lake wasn’t there to keep people out. It was there to keep the incredibly dense spiritual energy inside from leaking out.

    Most of the Foundation Establishment cultivators who had reached the top of the cliff couldn’t enter the inner zone.

    Their foundations and physical body weren’t strong enough to withstand the intense spiritual pressure. So they reluctantly chose to settle on the outer zone of the lake, trying to break through.

    As for Fifth and Seventh Prince, they barely managed to enter the inner zone. Their royal bloodlines and superior cultivation techniques had granted them stronger foundations than most.

    Even so, their faces turned pale and their bodies trembled. The dense spiritual pressure pressed down on them like a vast mountain. They struggled to take each step, their robes drenched in sweat.

    "This... this pressure is too much!" Fifth Prince gasped, his legs shaking.

    Seventh Prince also gritted his teeth, "We can’t... go any further. I’m afraid that our Dao Platform may be damaged. So let’s stop here... and cultivate."

    In the end, they had to settle for a spot near the edge of the inner zone. Even there, the spiritual energy was far more concentrated than outside.

    They sat down with difficulty and began to meditate, hoping to break through to Golden Core.

    ...

    Meanwhile, Lucian and Iris emerged from the spiritual mists.

    Lucian had a satisfied smile on his handsome face as he watched Iris. She had difficulty walking, her legs unsteady.

    "Iris, you should heal your body first," Lucian teased.

    "And whose fault is that?" she snorted, but her voice didn’t have any real anger.

    SPANK!

    Lucian suddenly slapped Iris’s plump asscheek.

    "Kyaa!" she cried out in pain and pleasure.

    Lucian chuckled and hugged her from behind and kissed her slender neck gently.

    Kiss~ Slurp~

    "Let’s calm our minds and then enter the lake," he whispered.

    After that, both of them chose a spot near the lake to sit down. They began circulating their Cultivation Techniques to calm their spirits and focus their minds.

    An incense stick of time passed.

    Lucian opened his eyes first. He gazed at Iris, admiring her beauty.

    Seeing her still meditating, he stood up and began to walk towards the lake.

    As soon as he passed through the energy shield, a powerful Spiritual Pressure hit him. But he didn’t even frown as he moved deeper into the lake.

    The moment she entered, her eyes widened in shock and astonishment as she saw where Lucian was sitting.

    "What!? Just how strong is his body?" she thought to herself, looking at Lucian’s position deep within the inner zone, "He’s actually at the same spot as where mother reached before breaking through! Does he have a unique bloodline?"

    Taking a deep breath, Iris calmed her mind. Then her body began to change as she entered her hybrid form.

    Within ten heartbeats, she crossed twenty steps into the inner zone. The spiritual pressure here was immense, but her Dragon body allowed her to withstand it.

    However, here she needed to stop. As even with her unique cultivation technique and Dragon physique, she could not go any further.

    Looking at Lucian sitting cross-legged in front of her, Iris felt curiosity.

    Feeling that she had reached her limit, Iris sighed, "Because of that damn old man’s worthless lineage, my Bloodline got a bit impure. If it wasn’t for mom’s Dragon lineage, I’m afraid reaching this far would’ve been impossible."

    Then she silently chose a position some distance from Lucian and sat down cross-legged, beginning her meditation.

    Meanwhile, Lucian had already entered a deep meditative state.

    The Golden Core stage wasn’t about just forming one’s Core and break through to a higher stage.

    Just as in the Qi Gathering Stage, a Cultivator’s Dantian was fragile; if destroyed, it could leave a person crippled, regardless of how rare their Elemental affinity might be.

    Additionally, in the Foundation Establishment stage, excessive damage to the Dao Foundation could hinder one future breakthroughs.

    But Golden Core stage didn’t have these flaws. As a part of the Dao Platform would transform into a Heavenly Palace!

    Inside this Heavenly Palace, the core would be protected. So to destroy one’s Core, they needed to first destroy the Heavenly Palace.

    In addition, a Cultivator could use special Heavenly and Earthly Treasures to merge when breaking through to Golden Core, making their Heavenly Palace unique in nature!

    However, there were many higher grade Cultivation Techniques where the technique’s manifestation could evolve into a core, allowing the entire Dao platform to transform into a Heavenly Palace, making it as big as their Dao Platform, just like Lucian’s own Cultivation Technique!

    As Lucian meditated, he slowly chanted the Golden Core section of his Cultivation Technique.

    As he chanted, wisps of Spiritual Energy seeped from the lake into his body.

    Inside Lucian’s Dantian area, his Dao Platform trembled. Cracks appeared on its surface as crimson light shone through.

    The platform’s edges slowly disintegrated, slowly reforming into the shape of a grand palace!

    At this very moment, with a thought, Lucian pulled out the Space Dao bone he had found from Alisa.

    Before, he had not known how to use this unique treasure. Even when he used his Qi Sense to scan it, he could not comprehend its mysteries.

    So he decided to use this as his Heavenly Palace’s foundation.

    Currently, this was the best use for it. Also he did not have any better option.

    As Lucian’s Dao Platform continued to transform, he guided the bone towards the forming palace.

    As soon as it touched his yet-to-form Heavenly Palace, the bone shattered into countless fragments. These fragments swirled around the forming palace, slowly merging with its structure!