The Long Journey to Immortality

An astonishing aura erupted from Han Lu's body; any ordinary cultivator who was timid would probably lose all will to fight upon feeling this aura.

As Han Lu fully entered the semi-true spirit transformation, the symbols on the battle power stone changed again.

However, in just a moment, the symbol disappeared from the surface of the power stone.

Han Lu caught the fleeting combat power symbol with her eyes, calculated the number it represented, and felt a sense of pride in herself.

"So, I'm this powerful even without using any special methods. No wonder I was able to fight Xiao Ran, a Golden Core cultivator with only half the strength, to a standstill when I was just at the early Foundation Establishment stage."

The number on the battle power stone reached 7,800, which is theoretically the standard for an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.

With such combat power, coupled with the numerous exquisite techniques she had learned, Han Lu felt that even though she was only a semi-true spirit cultivator, she could defeat many Golden Core cultivators who had cultivated for a hundred years and formed their core in one move.

"That completely transformed into a true spirit..."

Han Lu activated her cultivation technique and transformed into a three-winged phoenix in her room.

Just as she was about to continue testing the Battle Power Stone, she remembered that she couldn't use magic weapons in her True Spirit form.

Helpless, she could only make a note of the matter and put it aside for the time being, thinking that when she went to find Wen Erya, she would ask Wen Erya, who knew the situation, to act as an "observer" and use the battle power stone to help her test it out.

However, Han Lu was able to make some inferences about her combat strength in her True Spirit state based on her performance in Phoenix Perch Forest.

"Perhaps it's close to five figures or has already exceeded five figures. Considering the numerous true spiritual abilities that can be used, the number of people involved in the fight will definitely exceed five figures."

Eager to know the answer, Han Lu immediately transformed back into human form, carefully put away the battle stone, and went to find Wen Erya.

Knocking on the door of Wen Erya's courtyard and explaining the purpose of the visit, Wen Erya, who had also been to the ancient cultivation secret realm and seen many interesting technological products, was equally interested in this novel little stone.

After a brief introduction, Wen Erya, with Han Lu's help, measured her combat strength at "1200". Such a result is quite good for a Foundation Establishment cultivator who relies more on magic weapons.

When Wen Erya asked Han Lu about her combat strength, Han Lu did not answer at first, but asked Wen Erya to help test her combat strength in her True Spirit state.

Unfortunately, the True Spirit also had a substance similar to Qi that prevented its spiritual power from leaking out. Wen Erya held the battle power stone and gestured at Han Lu for a long time but could not get a result.

After transforming back into human form, Han Lu told Wen Erya a lie.

"I only have 3000 combat power right now, there's still a lot of room for improvement."

A day later, Han Lu found Hu Jian and returned the original combat power stone.

As for the magical artifacts used in the exchange, Han Lu chose to give Hu Jian the Thunder Bamboo Sword Pair, which she often used when she was in the Qi Refining Realm.

Giving roses to others leaves a lingering fragrance on your own hands.

Han Lu felt that these two useless items were a waste to leave idle in her hands, and would be far less useful to give to her junior brother Hu Jian, whom she found agreeable.

Chapter 467 Nascent Soul Tribulation

Having obtained two magical treasures that perfectly matched his own spiritual root attributes, Hu Jian was overjoyed, thinking that Han Lu would just casually give him two magical treasures to appease him.

After all, although he was a second-generation immortal, he wasn't the kind of person who was rolling in money.

These two spirit swords greatly enhanced and helped him.

When he learned that these two magical treasures were two of the treasures Han Lu frequently used during her Qi Refining stage, he had a misconception that this senior sister, who was only a few years older than him, had taken a liking to him.

However, Han Lu did not contact him again afterward, which dispelled his misunderstanding.

With these two magical treasures, Hu Jian, who was already outstanding among cultivators of the same level, won a series of victories in the small competition a month and a half later, advancing to the top four of the branch academy. He also repaid Han Lu's trust and expectations through his own efforts, and made the two spiritual swords famous in the East Mountain Academy once again.

But that's a story for another time.

Half a month later, Han Lu kept her promise and arrived at Piaomiaozi's residence.

Today is the day when Elder Haoge of the South Mountain Academy of the Zhengyi Sect will attempt to overcome the tribulation and advance to the Nascent Soul realm.

During these two weeks, Han Lu noticed that the ordinary disciples in the sect seemed unaware of this matter, which was of great importance to the Zhengyi Sect.

In the eyes of most of the Zhengyi Sect disciples who knew this Golden Core Elder, Elder Haoge was still in seclusion in a secret room within the sect, cultivating in seclusion. It was unknown when he would condense the twelfth pill pattern on his Golden Core and attempt to transcend the tribulation and advance to the next level.

At first, Han Lu didn't quite understand this arrangement, and felt that it was somewhat unusual for the sect not to report such an important matter internally.

But upon closer reflection, comparing the trials and tribulations that cultivators undergo to advance to the Golden Core stage and those to the Nascent Soul stage, Han Lu understood why the Zhengyi Sect was so low-key about such a major event.

In the peaceful and prosperous Central Plains, it was almost a certainty for a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator to form a false core and advance to the Golden Core realm.

The only problem is the quality of the Golden Core that is formed, which varies from good to bad.

But in any case, even if one has formed a ninth-grade golden core, one has still formed a golden core and reached the realm that most cultivators consider to be immortality.

Therefore, the formation of the elixir is 99% a joyous occasion, so it should be celebrated in a grand manner.

The "Ascension Feast" that Li Haoqiong mentioned after admitting defeat in the sparring match is a tradition in the Central Plains.

Before attempting to form a Golden Core, a pseudo-Core cultivator would begin preparations, sending out invitations to friends and informing the entire Central Plains cultivation world of their impending advancement to the Golden Core realm, sharing the joy of "attaining the Dao" with acquaintances and friends.

The advancement to Nascent Soul is different from the formation of Core Formation.

The intensity of the lightning tribulation that each cultivator needs to face when advancing to a higher level varies, and the combat power of cultivators at the time of advancement also differs greatly.

In the ancient cultivation era, about one-third of cultivators were able to successfully pass the Nascent Soul Tribulation, while one-third perished under the heavenly might of the tribulation.

The fate of another third of the cultivators undergoing tribulation is uncertain, neither good nor bad.

They survived but did not successfully overcome this hurdle; either their lifespan was greatly shortened, or ninety-nine percent of their cultivation was lost.

Either way, it would be fatal for a cultivator.

However, in the end, she survived.

If placed in the Central Plains today, it would be slightly better.

However, this is mainly because cultivators in the Central Plains rarely commit murder and have accumulated some good karma, which makes the lightning tribulations that occur with the aim of killing cultivators slightly more peaceful.

In a major sect like the Zhengyi Sect, about half of the Golden Core cultivators can successfully advance to the next level.

As for whether Elder Haoge, who is about to undergo the tribulation, is on the path of success or failure, even Elder Haoge himself cannot know.

Having only been a Golden Core Elder for a little over twenty years, and having only met Elder Haoge, who was about to undergo tribulation, a few times, Piaomiaozi still dared to gossip about Elder Haoge in front of his two clever disciples, so that he, who had no hope of advancing to the Nascent Soul stage in this life, could have a greater sense of participation in the important events that were about to happen.

"Elder Haoge formed his core 310 years ago. Before that, he was one of the most outstanding disciples in the sect, just like the two of you."

"As far as I know, Elder Haoge has set his sights on the Nascent Soul Realm since the very first day of his cultivation journey."

"Therefore, even after advancing to the Golden Core stage, he did not give himself an elegant Daoist name, and the sect could only refer to him by the last two characters of his real name."

"Elder Haoge is at the second rank of Core Formation, comparable to the Venerable Qingyang whom Han Lu once met."

"But I've heard that Elder Haoge isn't skilled in combat, and the quality of the magic weapons he possesses is only average..."

"However, I imagine that the sect will lend him a few spiritual artifacts that will be helpful for his tribulation before he takes it, so that he can get through this ordeal."

"I hope that Elder Haoge can become the seventh... no, the eighth Nascent Soul cultivator currently existing in our Zhengyi Sect."

Although he seemed pessimistic about Elder Haoge's chances of successfully passing the tribulation, Piaomiaozi, while traveling with his two disciples on auspicious clouds, still maintained "political correctness" and gave a judgment that was favorable to the Zhengyi Sect.

Hearing Piaomiaozi rarely talk about other high-level cultivators in the sect, Han Lu and Wen Erya asked him about the Nascent Soul cultivators and even the Divine Transformation cultivators in the sect.

Since he himself didn't know much, and his two disciples were almost completely ignorant, Piaomiaozi only said a few simple words, maintaining his authority as a master without revealing his weakness in front of his disciples by saying the wrong thing.

"A few years ago, the sect only had six Nascent Soul cultivators."

"However, during the last competition, a Nascent Soul cultivator joined our Zhengyi Sect after hearing about its reputation, which brought the number of active Nascent Soul cultivators in the sect to seven."

"However, it is said that one of the Supreme Elders has less than a hundred years left to live, and he will probably seek a personal disciple within the sect in the next few years."

"As for Nascent Soul cultivators, I'm not too sure. I've heard there's one or two of them."

"I have been in the sect for so many years, but I have never had the opportunity to meet or get to know such an expert."

……

"However, this time, there might be a chance to meet this senior who should exist in the sect from afar."

As the second largest sect in the Central Plains, although they did not know whether there were any Nascent Soul Realm cultivators in the sect, Han Lu, Wen Erya, and Piaomiaozi were all certain that there must be such experts in the sect, which was why the sect could safely protect its territory.

Chatting casually, in just half an hour, the three of them arrived at the tribulation site chosen by Elder Haoge on the auspicious cloud summoned by Piaomiaozi.

The three arrived at a time that was neither too early nor too late. By then, seven or eight auspicious clouds had already gathered in the sky near the tribulation site.

Needless to say, these cultivators sitting on auspicious clouds were naturally Zhengyi Sect cultivators who had been invited to attend the ceremony.

As a junior, Piaomiaozi naturally had to be very proper in observing etiquette.

Riding on the clouds, he led his two disciples to visit and greet each auspicious cloud in turn. Only then did the three of them find a decent spot and patiently wait for Elder Haoge, the main figure, to arrive.

Chapter 468 Elder Haoge

The exact time of the tribulation was not publicly announced.

Therefore, the Zhengyi Sect cultivators who arrived early all patiently waited.

Piaomiaozi was one of the few Golden Core cultivators who, while sitting on auspicious clouds, would occasionally exchange a few words with his disciples who had come with him.

Taking advantage of Elder Haoge's advancement to the Nascent Soul stage, Piaomiaozi, who usually had little opportunity to care about his two prized disciples, became a chatterbox.

First, he inquired about the cultivation progress of the two disciples. Then, based on his own experience in advancing to the Golden Core stage, Piaomiaozi provided targeted guidance to the two outstanding disciples who he believed were destined to advance to the Golden Core stage.

Although Han Lu had heard these things countless times and they were all old news, she still looked like she was listening attentively and maintained enough respect for her "willing but powerless" master, Piaomiaozi.

Wen Erya is just like Han Lu.

However, she was clearly unaware of these matters, or rather, she was only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment and had not yet considered the future, which might be fifty or even seventy years from now.

After patiently waiting for about half an hour, Jin Zhenren, an acquaintance of Piaomiaozi in the sect, specially rode a cloud to Piaomiaozi's place to greet him politely.

Han Lu noticed that Yuan Fei was one of the disciples who had come to this place with Master Jin.

Sitting on Jin Zhenren's auspicious cloud, Yuan Fei couldn't openly greet her, so he winked at Han Lu, trying to communicate with her in this crude way.

Han Lu couldn't understand what Yuan Fei was saying with his expression, she only knew that he was greeting her, so she responded with a smile.

However, another quarter of an hour passed, and the Golden Core elders of the Zhengyi Sect who had been invited to this place arrived at their destination one after another.

Han Lu took the time to count the auspicious clouds in the sky, and there were exactly forty of them.

"That means there are at least forty Golden Core cultivators in the Zhengyi Sect right now."

When Han Lu made her calculations, she naturally took into account the Golden Core cultivators who stayed in the sect to cultivate and protect it.

Based on a rough estimate, Han Lu guessed that there should be at least fifty Golden Core cultivators in the Zhengyi Sect.

The onlookers had all arrived, and the person in question naturally didn't arrive late either.