Chapter 532: Harvest and Thunder Tribulation Body Refinement

Recommended:

Mid-February, the 194th year of Patriarch Wang Yu’s cultivation.

He was about to usher in a crucial breakthrough in his cultivation career. Since becoming a Nascent Soul cultivator, this period had been the longest he had spent in cultivation. It had taken him nearly two centuries to complete the Nascent Soul stage. This showed that cultivation indeed slowed down significantly at higher stages. Even with his extensive use of Blood Infant Pills, which greatly sped up the process, it still took this long; otherwise, it would have required even more time.

He lit incense and bathed. After lighting a spiritual incense stick, which temporarily enhanced comprehension and aided concentration, he took out the Heaven-Man Connecting Divine Vine. He gazed at the Heaven-Man Diagram naturally formed on its leaves.

Wang Yu quickly reviewed the key stages and goals for breaking through to the Soul Transformation realm. There were four main steps.

First, Demonic Essence Transformation! The ninety-nine Demonic Essence Crystals gathered in his Sea of Qi needed to undergo a shattering process once more, refining the essence from each crystal. This would reshape and expand his Sea of Qi. By resonating with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and utilizing the influx of external spiritual energy, he would significantly increase his Demonic Essence quantity. Simultaneously, he would integrate a portion of his divine sense power, thereby gaining control over the Soul Transformation Domain, which commanded the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

This stage might seem simple, but it actually blocked half of all peak Nascent Soul cultivators, as many couldn't even achieve resonance with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. It required extremely strong innate aptitude, a certain inherent affinity for spiritual energy. In this regard, the Heaven-Man Connecting Divine Vine was more than capable of helping him overcome this obstacle.

Second, Nascent Soul Transformation! For the Nascent Soul to transform, mastering the Soul Transformation Domain beforehand was crucial. Only with such control could he provide the spiritual energy required for the Nascent Soul's metamorphosis. Furthermore, he needed to integrate the foundation of his divine sense into the Nascent Soul, allowing it to fuse with his own soul, establishing a subtle connection with heaven and earth, and comprehending all things to obtain the opportunity for Soul Transformation.

This step was very difficult, demanding extremely high comprehension. Fortunately, the primary effect of the Heaven-Man Connecting Divine Vine was precisely to aid with this stage. The Heaven-Man Diagram on it served as the best reference for Soul Transformation, so Wang Yu had no concerns about this step either.

Third, the Soul Transformation Lightning Tribulation. This was the most direct obstacle to breaking through to Soul Transformation. It didn't require comprehension or aptitude; as long as one was strong enough and had enough means, they could pass through safely. For cultivators qualified to break through, it was almost the easiest stage. It was the same for Wang Yu. He had already survived a Soul Transformation Lightning Tribulation when his body cultivation broke through to the fifth stage, so the second time would only be easier. In fact, it was an excellent opportunity for his body cultivation, counting as a great fortuitous encounter.

Fourth, Condensing the Dharma Idol! This step was both difficult and simple. As long as one had already cultivated a Dharma Idol divine ability and had a clear objective, it could be easily condensed after surviving the lightning tribulation, aided by the congratulatory spiritual light bestowed by heaven and earth. Only those confused cultivators, or the ambitious ones who sought to comprehend a Dharma Idol far beyond the ordinary, would encounter difficulties and bottlenecks. Wang Yu undoubtedly belonged to the latter category.

Considering the four stages of Soul Transformation, only the final step carried variables. With the assistance of a top-grade breakthrough spiritual item like the Heaven-Man Connecting Divine Vine, his breakthrough was essentially guaranteed.

His review concluded here.

Fully prepared, Wang Yu's body exuded tangible blue-black Demonic Essence. He encased the divine vine within it, letting it churn continuously, and then his Ice Dragon Alchemic Flame surged forth. He continuously refined drops of golden liquid, each containing endlessly complex patterns. This purification method, utilizing alchemy techniques, would yield superior results.

Half an incense stick later, more than ten drops of the golden vine liquid surged into Wang Yu's mouth. A ferocious aura instantly shot skyward, causing the entire ice cave to shatter. A massive amount of spiritual energy from heaven and earth poured in, forming a visible, funnel-shaped vortex of spiritual energy.

Changes within his Sea of Qi were also rapidly underway. As his cultivation technique circulated faster and faster, Wang Yu performed the secret art for breaking through to Soul Transformation. He formed a complex spiritual seal with his hands. The spiritual energy flowing into his body immediately became orderly, continuously impacting the edges of his Sea of Qi like waves, causing its capacity to steadily increase. During this process, some spiritual energy naturally merged into the Sea of Qi's barriers, ensuring it wouldn't become fragile due to expansion. What was enhanced was its foundation and inherent strength.

As time passed, the ninety-nine Demonic Essence Crystals began to explode one by one, releasing blue-black light particles that merged into Wang Yu's Nascent Soul. The miniature Nascent Soul maintained the same posture as Wang Yu. His Innate Demonic Embryo Physique began to take effect. Mysterious and profound demonic patterns spread across the Nascent Soul, quickly locking down the Demonic Essence essence.

Outside, Wang Yu quickly took out his accumulated top-grade spirit stones. In the absence of a fifth-grade spirit vein, these top-grade spirit stones could supplement the spiritual energy consumed from heaven and earth. This was equally crucial to prevent him from stopping his breakthrough and transformation due to a lack of spiritual energy. The mental power in his Heart Lake was also gradually being consumed. This achieved a mystical effect akin to turning thoughts into reality. He had never given up on cultivating mental power, but he lacked a secret art to fully utilize it. Therefore, it could only serve some basic functions.

After the transformation of his Sea of Qi was complete, the effects of the divine vine liquid began to manifest. The Heaven-Man Diagram seemed to provide him with a perfect connection method. It allowed his divine sense to form a resonance with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. It was at this exact moment that, despite the absence of a spirit vein in this location, the speed and concentration of spiritual energy convergence reached a fifth-grade level.

An invisible ripple quickly spread out. Five meters, ten meters, a hundred meters… five hundred meters. It stopped expanding only after reaching this extent. For the first time, Wang Yu felt the favor of heaven and earth upon him. The sensation of spiritual energy surging toward him was as if he had become the master of this realm, with all things submitting to his command. The Soul Transformation Domain was successfully born.

At the same time, Wang Yu's Nascent Soul seemed to sense something. Carrying all the Demonic Essence essence, it swiftly left the Sea of Qi and soared directly into his Niwan Palace. The accumulated divine sense power here quickly dispersed, revealing the spherical object at its very center—this was the foundation of his divine sense, his core essence. The Nascent Soul opened its mouth and lightly inhaled, swallowing it into its body.

The Nascent Soul, divine sense, and Demonic Essence began to merge. Utilizing the convenience of the heavenly circulation meridians, a completely new energy circulation system was being constructed. The Sea of Qi still remained responsible for storing Demonic Essence. The Niwan Palace still contained his divine sense, but the foundations of both had shifted to the Nascent Soul. This meant that after a successful Soul Transformation, a shattered Sea of Qi or an exploded Niwan Palace would no longer be fatal injuries. Even if a cultivator's physical body were destroyed, their true spirit could still seize another body and be reborn, retaining their peak cultivation. The importance of the physical body had significantly decreased, but this was only temporary. It was said that one of the conditions for breaking through to the Void Refinement stage was the unification of the three aspects and the blending of spirit and flesh. Cultivators focused on different goals at different stages, and those who walked different paths would also vary. These were all matters for later; for now, he focused on the present.

As Wang Yu proceeded to the second step of breakthrough, he felt his Nascent Soul beginning to transform. He swiftly immersed his consciousness within, sensing his own soul, extracting it from his physical body, and then fully integrating it into the Nascent Soul. This was a crucial step in Soul Transformation: infusing the divine soul! After the initial integration, the Nascent Soul instantly transformed. Its infantile appearance began to grow, maturing at a visible pace. Eventually, it took on the exact appearance of Wang Yu.

The divine vine liquid's effects kicked in again. A subtle sense of enlightenment prompted Wang Yu to quickly direct his gaze towards the sky. That wondrous experience of comprehending the 'Dao' felt as if he had transformed into an omnipotent celestial deity. Moreover, he drew a special energy from the void, distinct from spiritual energy, named the Qi of Heaven and Man, which would help him achieve the critical step of Nascent Soul transformation.

This wondrous sensation lasted for a full half-month. Until one day, a towering pillar of spiritual light enveloped Wang Yu, stretching from heaven to earth. Within the pillar, a majestic, mountain-like golden translucent phantom appeared, its appearance identical to Wang Yu's. Its eyes, radiating a divine might akin to a prison, unleashed three-zhang golden light. Its immense form rapidly shrank, eventually becoming the same size as Wang Yu, then overlapping with him as if his true spirit had returned to its proper place.

Wang Yu, who was sitting cross-legged, felt his eyelids tremble for a moment. He immediately awoke. The curve of his lips could not hide his inner joy. The second step had been successfully completed thanks to the spiritual item's effects, and the breakthrough process had now reached the third step.

Endless dark clouds gathered, bringing forth an even more terrifying celestial might than before, dispelling the unique environment of the Endless Ice Plains. The eighty-one lightning tribulations quickly began to brew. Wang Yu, full of vigor, shed his clothes. He felt his state had reached an unprecedented peak. The breakthrough of his divine sense and the condensation of his true spirit gave him even greater control over his own power. He moved to mid-air without any protection, preparing to use the Soul Transformation Lightning Tribulation to temper his physical body, and simultaneously, to absorb a portion of the lightning essence using the Lightning Devouring Secret Art, for nourishing his Black Demonic Lightning, which was gradually falling behind.

These unique natural phenomena possessed great potential. The potential of Black Demonic Lightning was even superior to artificial spiritual flames like the Ice Dragon Alchemic Flame; it just hadn't encountered an opportunity for advancement. The Lightning Devouring Secret Art, after being placed by Wang Yu for some time, had already advanced by one grade, enough to elevate his Black Demonic Lightning to the fifth stage. Beyond that, a higher-grade lightning nurturing secret art would be required.

As Wang Yu was ready, the first lightning tribulation soon struck. Relying on his formidable physique, Wang Yu neither dodged nor evaded. His Yin-Nether Demonic Dragon Technique circulated to its extreme, and his body's blood circulation sped up several times over. As soon as the lightning struck, he absorbed it into his body. After its power was filtered by his physical form, the residual lightning energy was quickly absorbed by his Black Demonic Lightning. Its essence clearly grew by a small margin. This efficiency made Wang Yu's smile widen mischievously. After all eighty-one lightning tribulations, the advancement of his Black Demonic Lightning would likewise not be an issue. Even his body cultivation could forcibly advance significantly.

While his cultivation technique couldn't support him in reaching higher realms, through pure tempering and nourishment from spiritual items, he could still achieve a cultivation level approximating the third layer of Soul Transformation before reaching the mid-fifth stage. Therefore, continuing to train his physique was not in vain. His strength, vitality, and even the quality of his Golden Blood Divine Marrow were all improving, with a progress rate no slower than if they were placed in the cultivation system's idle panel. As for how to break through to the sixth stage of body cultivation, Wang Yu currently lacked knowledge in that area. It could be said that the entire Ice Prison Realm lacked understanding of the Void Refinement stage. Only the earliest historical texts contained sparse records and conjectures.

The lightning tribulation passed safely, bringing no unexpected troubles, and his breakthrough reached its final step: Condensing the Soul Transformation Dharma Idol!

As the tribulation clouds dispersed, a golden light pierced through the heavy dark clouds. The blessings of heaven and earth began to descend, and as Wang Yu bathed in them, he felt waves of heavenly music, incomparably melodious. The injuries accumulated on his body from the lightning tribulation rapidly healed. His already formidable life force within his body further intensified, becoming so vigorous that it emanated waves of heat like a furnace, even distorting the air around him.

In terms of comprehension, his state was much like sitting on a Heaven Comprehension Platform—an epic enhancement that made it seem as if all cultivation difficulties and divine ability bottlenecks were no longer obstacles. With just a little thought, he could understand many cultivation problems. Wang Yu dared not waste this opportunity and immediately began to deduce his own Dharma Idol divine ability.

“With Yin and Ice attributes as its foundation, the Grand Yin Star as its symbolic celestial position, moonlight as my eyes, frigid ice as my blood, and the myriad transformations of celestial phenomena… the All-Heaven Star Deity Dharma Idol!”

His references were not limited to just Dharma Idol divine abilities. They also included countless Yin and Ice attribute divine abilities and secret arts cultivated throughout his past years. These were all part of his personal foundation and accumulated wisdom. The more he comprehended, the more outstanding his understanding became. This was an enhancement in experience and insight, a growth that everyone could attain. However, compared to true old monsters, Wang Yu still lacked in this aspect.

The heaven-bestowed enlightenment spiritual light quickly plunged him into a state of sudden enlightenment. In just a short while, the celestial phenomenon completely vanished. Wang Yu, however, remained standing rooted to the spot, immersed in the boundless spiritual light, continuously deducing the power of his Dharma Idol. It was foreseeable that the moment his enlightenment ended, his own Dharma Idol would be born.

Months passed by. With the dispersal of the lightning tribulation, the area remained enveloped by the environment of the Endless Ice Plains. Heavy snow fell, covering the standing Wang Yu in snowflakes. Gradually, he became a man-sized white snowdrift. Indigenous demonic beasts of the ice plains began to stir nearby, and the commotion of the Soul Transformation Lightning Tribulation attracted investigations from many local powers. These scouts seemed unable to sense Wang Yu, coming in waves and then retreating in waves.

Thus, another half-year passed.

On this day, a bright moon suddenly rose in the sky. Its scattered moonlight was unprecedentedly brilliant, and once again, it repelled the power of the ice plains environment. One particular beam of moonlight was exceptionally bright. It shone directly onto Wang Yu's snowdrift. The ice and snow rapidly melted, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a hundred-mile radius seemed to be drawn by something, quickly converging towards the center.

Amidst the spiritual energy storm, the figure of a giant gradually took shape. Nearly three hundred zhang tall, it stood like a mountain peak. Its star-flecked skin bore frost-like patterns, and a moon disk on its back radiated Grand Yin starlight. Its facial features were indistinct; only a pair of eyes, entirely condensed from blue light, could be seen. Wang Yu's Dharma Idol had initially formed, but it quickly underwent further transformations. Ethereal, colorful ribbons formed from aurora-like light wrapped from its wrists over its shoulders, fluttering continuously as if imbued with celestial energy. A yellow-black and a red-black horned flood dragon coiled around its arms, adding an imposing, robust feel to the Dharma Idol's body. The former was the Yellow Spring Demonic Flood Dragon, condensed from the essence of Yellow Spring's Law. The latter was the Asura Demonic Flood Dragon, condensed from the essence of Asura's Law. They were not only parts of the Dharma Idol but also its weapons and amplifiers for divine abilities. When divine abilities corresponding to their respective Laws were unleashed, they could achieve maximum power. They could perfectly augment any of Wang Yu's abilities.

With this, the breakthrough was completely finished, and the Dharma Idol was successfully condensed. As for its name, he hadn't decided yet.

He dispelled the Heaven and Earth Manifestation state.

Wang Yu murmured softly, “It’s time to go back…”