That idiot from the Sword Sect turned out to be a lucky charm.

These people are of average talent, but they are still quite hardworking. After all, breaking through each minor realm in the Golden Core stage is not easy.

However, they have reached the late stage of the Golden Core realm but have been stuck there for many years without making any progress. It's either because their cultivation direction is wrong or their methods are flawed.

Once a person begins to cultivate qi, progresses through foundation building, and then to the golden core, their cultivation pattern is already set. Changing it is very difficult.

Breakthroughs, in particular, place high demands on a cultivator's mental strength. Those who have developed bad habits are prone to getting stuck on their own ideas when they reach a bottleneck. If you interfere with them at this point and disrupt their train of thought, there is a risk of them going astray and suffering a qi deviation.

Lin Zhifeng's approach to these individuals was simple and direct—give each of them a Breakthrough Pill.

This is a product of the system, truly extraordinary. After taking my Breakthrough Pill, I've seen through everything I couldn't understand before, and I'm no longer troubled by it.

Lin Zhifeng felt that the Breakthrough Pill and the Intelligence Enhancement Pill were very similar in some ways, both being prepared for people whose brains weren't quite up to par.

After sending all these good brothers away, several months had passed.

Lin Zhifeng felt a pang of pain as he spent over a dozen more of his luck points. But there was no way around it; the necessary initial investments couldn't be spared.

After resolving everyone's issues, Lin Zhifeng summoned Qingfeng and gave him a Golden Essence Pill. He also stuffed all the prizes Lin Zhifeng had won in the competition—the Initial Essence Pill and the Primary Healing Pill—into his hands.

Lin Zhifeng instructed, "Young Master, I am about to go into seclusion to break through to the Nascent Soul stage. This seclusion will probably take several years. During this time, you should not neglect your cultivation. You can keep the Golden Essence Pill for yourself, and you can use or sell the rest as you please."

Qingfeng kowtowed repeatedly in gratitude.

Lin Zhifeng wasn't interested in that kind of thing. He quickly helped him up and continued, "Once you break through to the Golden Core stage, I'll go to the Grand Elder to get you an inner disciple qualification. You don't need to stay here as my servant. I can take care of myself and don't need anyone to wait on me."

Tears streamed down Qingfeng's face. "Young Master, don't you want me anymore? If I've done anything wrong, please punish me as you see fit. Don't send me away!"

Lin Zhifeng gave him a tap on the head and laughed, "Silly child, can you be someone's servant for the rest of your life? Go and cultivate diligently, and become my junior brother in the future."

Qingfeng burst into laughter through her tears, "That's great, I don't want to leave you, young master."

After sending Qingfeng away, Lin Zhifeng felt that he had forgotten something.

He thought about it for a long time before slapping his thigh and saying, "How could I forget about Senior Brother Wu Di?"

Lin Zhifeng found a brocade box and put a Nascent Soul Pill inside. He closed the lid, put the box in his pocket, and headed towards Senior Brother Wu Di's cave.

Upon arriving at the destination, Wu's attendant informed Wu Di.

Wu Di didn't know why Lin Zhifeng had come to see him, but he didn't dare to be negligent and quickly came out to meet him.

The two greeted each other and then took their seats.

When Wu Di inquired about Lin Zhifeng's purpose, Lin Zhifeng smiled and said, "During the previous competition, I used some less-than-ideal methods. It was only thanks to Senior Brother Wu Di's leniency that I wasn't left with a disability. I feel quite guilty that you didn't make it into the top ten. Not long ago, I happened to obtain a Nascent Soul Pill, which is of very high quality. I've come to offer it to you, hoping it will be of some help in your advancement to the Nascent Soul stage."

After saying that, he took out a brocade box and presented it with both hands.

Wu Di is currently in the late stage of the Golden Core realm, just one step away from breaking through. He is also planning to go into seclusion to break through, but he's not entirely confident. Hearing that Lin Zhifeng has a Nascent Soul Pill, he can't help but feel a little tempted.

He took the brocade box and opened it. Inside lay a flawless Nascent Soul Pill on the brocade. The white surface of the pill seemed to be shrouded in a seven-colored glow, and a faint fragrance of pills could be smelled. For a moment, Wu Di felt as if the barrier between the Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages had loosened.

"This is the Flawless Pill?" Wu Di exclaimed in surprise.

Lin Zhifeng smiled: "It seems that Senior Brother Wu is a discerning person."

Wu Di quickly closed the brocade box and handed it back to Lin Zhifeng, saying, "This is too valuable, I can't accept it."

Even if it were just an ordinary Nascent Soul Pill, he didn't intend to take it for free; he was already planning to give Lin Zhifeng spirit stones. After all, he was about to break through, and he needed to prepare the Nascent Soul Pill in advance. Giving the spirit stones to Lin Zhifeng was the same thing; it was as if he had bought it for him.

However, this is a flawless pill, which is extremely rare. There are very few alchemists in the entire cultivation continent who can refine a flawless pill.

The Flawless Pill, with its virtually nonexistent toxicity and superior properties, is typically the grand finale item at auctions. How could he possibly accept something so valuable?

Seeing that Wu Di was unwilling to accept it, Lin Zhifeng persuaded him, "Senior brother, please accept it quickly. Breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage is the most important thing. In the future, when we go on missions and explore secret realms together, I'm counting on Senior Brother Wu to protect me!"

Wu Di refused to accept the money, saying, "As the senior brother, it is my duty to take care of the junior brother. You don't need to go to such lengths."

Lin Zhifeng had no choice but to say, "Senior brother, how about this? You can take this Nascent Soul Pill and use it first. When we go to the secret realm later, give me the best thing you get on your first trip, as the price for exchanging this pill."

Hearing this, Wu Di was somewhat tempted. After all, the Flawless Pill was a valuable item. With it, not only would his chances of breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage increase significantly, but it also wouldn't leave any pill poison in his body. There was still a long road ahead; he could find more good things for his junior brother later.

Thinking of this, Wu Di smiled and said, "Since Junior Brother Lin says so, I am ashamed to accept it. I will definitely make it up to you when I have the chance."

"No problem, no problem." Having achieved his goal, Lin Zhifeng sat for a short while before taking his leave and going home.

That very night, Lin Zhifeng sealed off his cave, set up a protective barrier, and hung up a sign announcing his seclusion, officially beginning his retreat.

The years of cultivation pass quickly. After Lin Zhifeng reached the late stage of the Golden Core realm, he consolidated his cultivation before swallowing a Nascent Soul Pill.

This Nascent Soul Pill truly lived up to its reputation as a system product. After Lin Zhifeng swallowed it, he felt his meridians rapidly expand, and his true energy circulated throughout them, eventually converging in his dantian. Under the impact and nourishment of this true energy, his original golden core gradually changed, eventually transforming into a chubby, white infant.

This means you have successfully broken through to the Nascent Soul stage and cultivated a true self.

Compared to his true self, it is still somewhat fragile and requires a long time to nurture. However, given time, once Lin Zhifeng cultivates to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, this Nascent Soul can leave his body in battle and fight alongside him. Or, in a situation where certain death is certain, as long as the Nascent Soul detaches from his body, he can escape. If he can find a suitable body and start cultivating from scratch, it's equivalent to having an extra life.

Lin Zhifeng was overjoyed at his successful breakthrough. He couldn't help but leave his cave to share the good news with the nine elders.

To my surprise, as soon as I stepped out of the house, I found the sky covered with dark clouds. Thick clouds pressed down on my head, and lightning bolts were striking from within them.

Lin Zhifeng thought to himself: Is this the legendary tribulation? Do I need to be struck by lightning to break through to the Nascent Soul stage? Shouldn't I undergo tribulation only after ascending to immortality? I'm a lucky koi fish, God, are you mistaken?

Thinking of the koi fish, he quickly opened the control panel, and sure enough, the task of breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage was marked as completed.

Lin Zhifeng was careless! He now regrets it.

He got carried away with his excitement and just came out. If he had claimed the reward inside the cave and upgraded to a little koi fish, wouldn't the chances of getting struck by lightning have been less?

However, it's never too late to mend the fence after the sheep are lost. He swiftly tapped to collect lucky points and upgrade the Koi skill.

Fortunately, the system upgrade didn't require a loading bar and was completed instantly. Lin Zhifeng's luck level is now 20%.

While he was busy upgrading the system, the first tribulation lightning had already descended. A bolt of lightning struck straight down towards Lin Zhifeng's head. Lin Zhifeng nimbly dodged, missing the strike. Hehe!

Immediately following, the second lightning tribulation descended, this time with three bolts of lightning. Lin Zhifeng easily dodged it without much effort.

Next came nine bolts of lightning, and this time he had to dodge them rather awkwardly.

Following this pattern, Lin Zhifeng really didn't know if he could dodge it all next time. He had already opened the shop, planning to exchange for a few high-grade healing pills to keep on hand.

To everyone's surprise, after the third wave of nine lightning bolts struck, the dark clouds overhead instantly dissipated.

Is it over?

Lin Zhifeng was still a little incredulous. He looked at the sky, then at himself. Really? A 20% chance of luck? Is that even possible?