Immortal Road.

dumb--

Suddenly, all sound ceased, and a series of ringing sounds flashed in my ears, seemingly both distant and clear, while my stomach churned and spasmed.

Lin Shan and Qu Gong covered their ears and stood there clenching their teeth in pain.

After a moment, they recovered and looked up to find that the Protoss ancient being who had just tried to kill them was nowhere to be seen.

The man in the straw hat was still roasting the star cocoon with his left hand, while playing with a small ball in his right hand, which was the star spirit's natal star!
wow~
Without a word, the void creatures on the periphery turned tail and fled, not daring to stay there for even a moment longer, and the surrounding area was instantly cleared.

The entire starry sky fell silent.

Until a faint smell of burning wafted over, the man in the straw hat extinguished the flames, revealing that the eggshell of the Star Cocoon was cracking inch by inch, and the meat inside was very plump and looked like a little chick.

"The star spirit within this star cocoon is about to emerge. If we wait another hundred years or so, it will break free on its own. At that time, it will be considered killing. Alas, alas~"

The man in the straw hat then tossed it to Lin Shan, telling him to eat it while it was hot.

Lin Shan had been craving this for a long time, so he grabbed it and refined it in an instant.

Qu Gong, standing nearby, was extremely envious. He loved eating chicken, something Lin Shan had always known. However, there was only one Wuxiang Star Cocoon, so there was no way to share it.

Who knew that the man in the straw hat next to him would start warming himself by the fire again, this time with the Protoss old man from before!
"Ah~~ Senior, please don't kill me! I was blind and didn't recognize your greatness. You can do whatever you want, but please spare my life!"

This guy is a true dark king hidden in the lower realm, roaming the void and making his home wherever he goes. He is so domineering that no one dares to mess with him.
As a result, he accidentally kicked a hornet's nest, and things really went terribly wrong.

"Little guy, just accept your fate. I've eaten at least eight hundred, if not a thousand. I used to eat them all together. If it weren't for the drastic changes in the environment in recent years, which have made you star spirits an endangered species, I would have eaten all over the lower realm long ago!"

The man in the straw hat spoke lightly, but he scared the ancient Star Spirit in the fire out of his wits!
"Senior, spare me! Spare me! No!!!"

Lin Shan had no time to care about that anymore. He felt like he was about to burst and couldn't wait to use up this energy to break through his cultivation level!
The arrow is on the string and must be fired.

Layers of transparent star power surged around him, as if a silkworm was spinning silk, preparing to wrap him in a cocoon.

With a determined heart, he fully activated his cultivation. He sensed that the heavens and earth had noticed him, and he instantly attracted their attention.

The Tribulation of the Primordial Spirit!

"Boom! Crack!"

The Nine Heavens Thunder Pool appeared overhead, as if saying that old acquaintances had met again.

This Six-Nine Thunder Tribulation only targets the primordial spirit, not the physical body, hence it is called the Tribulation of the Primordial Spirit.

As long as one can overcome this obstacle, the primordial spirit will undergo a complete transformation, acquiring a trace of yang energy, and gradually transitioning from a yin spirit to a yang spirit.

Orthodox cultivation of immortality follows the path of Yang Shen (the Great Way of the Yang Spirit). Only after the Yang Shen is perfected and pure Yang is cultivated can one be called a Pure Yang True Immortal!
To be precise, starting from his primordial spirit, he has completely decoupled from the bottom of the cultivation world and embarked on the path to immortality.

The Six-Nine Thunder Tribulation consists of six levels, each with nine strikes, all of which are yang thunder, specifically designed to strike yin spirits.

This is why the risk of tribulation during the Nascent Soul stage is far higher than that during the Infant stage. For most people, losing the protection of their physical body for the first time and having to withstand the tribulation with their primordial spirit is a completely new experience, and they are simply not used to it.

Even though Lin Shan had faced the lightning tribulation so many times, when his true primordial spirit faced it, he always felt as if he were naked.

"Don't be afraid, little brother. With your master here, just keep charging forward!"

Qu Gong was cheering him on from behind, but he was already enjoying his meal, sharing the freshly baked secret-recipe Celestial Spirit with the man in the straw hat.

The man in the straw hat sat firmly in the void, letting him do as he pleased.

"I'm here to cover for you, so you have no worries. The real breakthrough still depends on yourself. Only if you can withstand all fifty-four lightning tribulations can you receive the Heavenly Dao's reward!"

There was a hint of disdain in his tone:
"Anyone who doesn't receive a reward from Heaven will miss the chance to surpass the geniuses of the great sects in the Immortal Realm in the future, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them trash!"

So, in your eyes, everything has to be compared to the geniuses of the great sects in the immortal realm?

Lin Shan couldn't help but marvel at the strict standards set by the man in the straw hat.

"You little kids from the lower realms don't know why ascended cultivators are generally more favored in the upper realms and stronger in certain aspects! In fact, besides the fact that all those who ascended were able to fight against adversity due to the scarcity of resources in the lower realms, there is also the gift of Heaven!"

"This is a compensation mechanism for the lower realm, and it is also an adjustment made by the Heavenly Dao to balance all living beings under heaven. If you are born into a bad family, you will receive extra support in your future efforts."

"The three realms of Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Primordial Spirit offer three opportunities for Heavenly Dao rewards. If you can seize all of them, you will be able to easily surpass the natives of the Immortal Realm when you ascend to immortality!"

"After you ascend, do you want to be a subservient snake or a powerful dragon crossing the river? The choice is yours!"

As he spoke, the man in the straw hat looked at Qu Gong again, always thinking of his good-for-nothing apprentice as he spoke.

"I nurtured you so well, letting you take all three of the Heavenly Dao's rewards, and even giving you two of each because of the symbiotic relationship of the Twin Demonic Bodies! In the end, you wasted ten thousand years, letting those young people in the Immortal Realm catch up and leave you far behind. You're such a useless piece of trash!"

"."

Qu Gong was enjoying his meal when his master suddenly turned around and scolded him. The food in his hand stopped at his mouth, and he didn't know whether to eat it or not.

"All you do is eat! All you do all day is eat and sleep. What else can you do?!"

The man in the straw hat got even angrier and launched into a tirade of abuse. Sure enough, all masters are the same; even immortals can't change this kind of temper.

Lin Shan guessed that Qu Gong had embarrassed the man in the straw hat in front of his old friends in the immortal realm, so he took his anger out on his disciple.

However, the immortals' knowledge is definitely far superior to mine. The mortal realm has a Heavenly Dao compensation mechanism, which is perfect for my development. As a benefit to catch up with my peers in the immortal realm, I must strive for it!

Unless absolutely necessary, it's best not to let the man in the straw hat intervene; it's best to rely on yourself to successfully overcome the tribulation.

Just as I thought of this, a thunderous roar sounded in the sky, and the tribulation of lightning arrived first!
"Crack!"

Lin Shan easily withstood the attack thanks to his Star Ember Divine Essence Barrier; it didn't hurt him at all.

I immediately felt reassured.

He easily overcame the next eight tribulations of lightning in the first stage, without breaking a sweat.

The man in the straw hat was still scolding Qu Gong, which eased the atmosphere of impending heavenly tribulation somewhat.

Lin Shan was still testing his limits. He would try his best to fight the second and third tribulations using only his own cultivation.

The Star Ember Divine Essence is also very powerful, with its Star Annihilation property always having a long-lasting effect, relying on the continuous spiritual sea to wear down the lightning completely.

The man in the straw hat next to him spoke up again. "Not bad. You were able to rely on yourself for the first three levels without using any external aids, so your cultivation level is considered qualified. Next, increase the intensity layer by layer, release a little lightning into your primordial spirit, and receive the yang energy within to enter your soul, thus creating an opportunity for yourself to attain pure yang."

Why start from the fourth level?
This is because the first three levels are enhanced versions of the Three-Nine Thunder Tribulation, which are essentially still Yin Thunder. Starting from the fourth level, it becomes Yang Thunder, which poses a greater threat to the primordial spirit and also contains precious Yang energy!
This yang energy is the secret of heaven and earth, a key factor in achieving immortality. In the future, cultivators who wish to obtain this energy will only be able to acquire it from extremely rare natural treasures, or by absorbing primordial yang energy through dual cultivation, in addition to undergoing a tribulation of lightning.

The latter method is not only effective for female cultivators to use male cultivators' stamina, but also theoretically for male cultivators. This is why some old monsters like to keep young boys, and even many seemingly righteous powerful beings take servant boys with them whenever they go out.

In fact, it was to cover up his bad habits; the truth was so ugly that it was not worth telling outsiders.

This method is generally considered unorthodox and heretical, and one is very likely to suffer backlash on the path to immortality. Moreover, each person is born with very little yang energy, and repeated exploitation is only a drop in the ocean, but it is not without opportunity.

When people have absolutely no other choice, there are quite a few who choose to take desperate measures.

Some people even developed unusual fetishes as a result, and after becoming immortals, they became even more unrestrained and indulgent, making the practice of keeping young boys as pets quite prevalent in the immortal realm.

In terms of corruption, the Heavenly Court is undoubtedly number one!

Lin Shan was completely oblivious to this, focused solely on successfully transcending the tribulation. Facing the arrival of the fourth tribulation, he opened his large hand and uttered a deep, resonant shout:

"Wind Tunnel Thunder Elephant, come out!"

This powerful supernatural ability is his signature move, and now it stands above his head, forming a single barrier.

Previously, Yuan Nian's clone, under the protection of the Great Divine Power Seed, displayed power comparable to other Nascent Soul stage cultivators. Now, however, it is his true body that is making its move, so its strength is beyond doubt!

The fourth lightning tribulation came with great force, but it was still under his control. The wind tunnel was crushing and the lightning elephant was trampling, which was enough to completely intercept it before it hit him.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Lin Shan released a thin strand of lightning onto his body. He thought it would be terrifying, but it only caused a slight tingling sensation and a shiver.

Afterwards, I felt warm all over, as if I were bathing in a warm hot spring, and I couldn't help but squint my eyes and groan in blissful comfort.

The sound was somewhat intoxicating; one can imagine how pleasurable it was.

Qu Gong, standing nearby, looked on with a look of reminiscence:
"The sensation of a positive substance entering the body is truly unforgettable, but unfortunately, there aren't many opportunities to experience it, and one can only rely on the tribulation of lightning."

"If you want to try again, you can go and cross the river again now, hitch a ride and get a bunch of positive results for free, wouldn't that be great?"

The man in the straw hat encouraged his apprentice to participate in the tribulation lightning, showing his love for making a spectacle of things.

Qu Gong quickly shook his head. He dared not try it recklessly. Being involved in the lightning tribulation could kill people. What kind of good person would be so idle as to provoke such a thing?

Lin Shan, having tasted the sweetness, added even more lace to his body when the second wave hit. The climax arrived, and he trembled with pleasure, shaking wave after wave.

The two onlookers sighed repeatedly, saying that youth is indeed a blessing, and they couldn't help but feel a pang of regret as they thought back to their own prime.

By the end of the fourth tribulation, Lin Shan's primordial spirit had gradually changed from a transparent crimson color to one tinged with a yellowish halo.

"This is Yang, which can help you train your Yang spirit. However, since you don't have the corresponding 'Forging Spirit Technique' right now, Yang can only be presented as a yellow halo for the time being."

The man in the straw hat was very generous and offered the temptation directly.

"If you can obtain more than ten yellow halos after the Six-Nine Thunder Tribulation, then you will have mastered the first level of the technique, and I will give you the exclusive secret to cultivating your Yang Spirit!"

"Oh? It's a deal."

Lin Shan was overjoyed upon hearing this. Could there be a secret method to gain something for free while undergoing tribulation?

He had never even heard of the concept of "yang training for yang spirit" in the lower realm, and there might not even be such a lineage. Now that he had finally encountered a banished immortal with connections, how could he not seize this opportunity?

However, even with all nine waves of the fourth tribulation lightning combined, it only managed to gather a yellow halo around him.

If it's ten rounds, then you must draw nine more rounds onto your body during the remaining two tribulations of lightning.
Find wealth in danger!
The fifth tribulation arrived suddenly. This time, in addition to thunder, umbrella-shaped dandelions fell like flowers scattered by celestial maidens.

"Don't touch it!"

Upon seeing this, Qu Gong's expression changed drastically, recalling unpleasant memories. He hurriedly tried to remind her, but it was too late.

"This is."

Lin Shan casually picked up a flower, and suddenly felt a pain in his hand!
This dandelion took root directly on his primordial spirit, began to absorb soul energy and extract divine essence, and even faintly shook his yang aura!
"Hmph, Void Yin Pu, it is known for hiding in the void world and attacking the primordial spirits of cultivators in the primordial spirit stage. It is infamous throughout the heavens and myriad worlds. Such evil creatures should be exterminated."

The man in the straw hat snorted coldly.

The dandelions scattered instantly, and then a flurry of snowflakes began to fall, with countless fluffy seeds drifting down. This gave Lin Shan quite a fright!

However, after being coldly snorted a second time by the man in the straw hat, all the downy hairs melted away and disintegrated into the void.

A transparent ripple swept across, severing the dandelion rooted in his hand, and the excruciating pain slowly subsided.

At the same time, amidst the rumbling and flashing of the heavenly tribulation, a massive umbrella-shaped outline was faintly revealed, stretching for thousands of miles.

"Void Yin Pu, you rat who only dares to hide in the spatial interlayer and launch sneak attacks, come out if you dare!"

Qu Gong roared loudly, but dared not make a move.

Because this demon is hiding under the lightning tribulation, if he makes a move, he is likely to be caught in the lightning tribulation and can only watch helplessly and anxiously.

Fortunately, the man in the straw hat was guarding the gate. If this demon was not eliminated, it would seriously interfere with Lin Shan's tribulation. So, with a single wave of his hand, he stirred up the space and used the spatial storm to blow the old demon away to who knows where.

"Master, why don't you kill it?"

Qu Gong asked, puzzled.

The man in the straw hat shook his head:

"Killing it is easy, but this demon has countless clones, a large clan, and is backed by ancient elders. It's not worth exposing myself for it."

Lin Shan breathed a sigh of relief, now free from worries, and focused on dealing with the tribulation. The fifth level was no longer something that a single great divine power could withstand; he needed to release the Devouring Soul Prison along with it to protect himself within it.

Even so, a large number of tiny electric wires still leaked in from the edge of the light cage, shocking him so much that he convulsed and shook violently, like he had epilepsy.

He resisted the urge to use the Formless Star Cocoon to protect himself, saving it for the final stage to ensure his safety. He took advantage of the fifth tribulation to collect yang energy and condense more yellow halos.

But unbeknownst to them, misfortune never comes singly; within the primordial spirit, unseen by outsiders,
A pair of large, skeletal hands silently attacked!
(End of this chapter)