Unexpectedly, his momentary lapse in attention had inadvertently done them a great favor. Filled with regret, he casually asked, "Who came up with the idea of using a Nascent Soul to forge weapons? Didn't they know it was extremely dangerous?"
"Know."
"You know? If you know, why did you use it?" Xiao Wenbing asked in surprise.
"Because our raw materials are scarce, it's difficult to collect materials for refining level seven or higher magic weapons, and the Hundredfold Technique is our only hope," Ronald said sadly.
Silently watching Ronaldo, Xiao Wenbing hesitated, as if a strange feeling was flowing through his heart, making him very uncomfortable. What surprised and uncertain him even more was that this feeling didn't seem to belong to him...
After a long pause, Xiao Wenbing said softly, "You are risking your lives."
"Yes...but it's worth it."
"Worth it?" Xiao Wenbing curled his lip; he couldn't see anything worthwhile about it.
Ronald raised his head, his eyes gleaming with arrogance, and uttered a startling statement: "Master, if there were a thousand Nascent Soul stage cultivators forming a Universal Bead Array of a thousand people working together, there would be an 80% chance of helping a senior in the Tribulation Transcending stage successfully overcome their tribulation."
Volume 4, Chapter 298: Heroes of the Hero's Abode
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Upon hearing Ronald's words, Xiao Wenbing was greatly surprised. During a tribulation, others would be too busy fleeing to offer assistance. So he inquired, "A tribulation? Is it possible to help during a tribulation?"
Ronald said loudly, "Indeed, with a thousand people united, the omnipotent formation is powerful enough to withstand the eighth heavenly tribulation."
Xiao Wenbing recalled the Heavenly Tribulation that Butterfly Fairy had faced in the past, and immediately felt lingering fear, asking, "What about the first seven tribulations?"
“The first seven tribulations will be dealt with by the senior who is undergoing the tribulation on his own. If he can withstand the seven tribulations with his own cultivation, then he will be qualified to receive the support of the omnipotent array.” Ronald’s expression darkened and he sighed.
Xiao Wenbing immediately understood his meaning. If the demon wanted to undergo tribulation, he had to withstand the first seven heavenly lightning bolts on his own, but the eighth bolt would require the help of that all-powerful array.
Just considering the scarcity of resources in the Demon Realm, Xiao Wenbing knew that very few demons would possess any valuable treasures. Therefore, those who could withstand the first seven tribulations solely with their physical bodies and magical abilities were undoubtedly masters among masters; those with slightly weaker cultivation simply couldn't do it.
At least in the cultivation world, without the support of magical treasures, Xiao Wenbing dares to say that under the heavenly tribulation, at least half of the people would not be able to withstand the seventh heavenly lightning.
Suddenly, a question popped into his head, but he was too embarrassed to ask it. He hadn't intended to ask, but the question kept lingering in his mind. Finally, he gritted his teeth and asked, "A thousand Nascent Soul stage clansmen could withstand the eighth heavenly lightning strike?"
“Yes,” Ronald affirmed. “Because they set up the all-powerful formation at the cost of their own lives.”
He gasped, and Xiao Wenbing murmured repeatedly, "Life."
"Indeed, after a single thunderbolt, all people are destroyed, with no chance of survival."
"What if a ninth bolt of heavenly lightning strikes?"
After a long silence, Ronaldo finally said, "This is why, as my disciple said, we only have an 80% chance of success."
Xiao Wenbing immediately understood that if the ninth heavenly lightning really came, it would mean that the tribulation would fail, and the thousand Nascent Soul stage demons would have to sacrifice themselves in vain.
His brows furrowed deeply. Only one question raced through his mind: was it worth it? Gazing at his disciple, his voice was filled with doubt: "Where did these thousand Nascent Soul stage cultivators come from?"
"The Temple will establish a standard based on each person's progress and cultivation speed, selecting those who are unlikely to improve further from a large number of Golden Core stage volunteers. These individuals will then be quickly cultivated by the Venerables through spells."
"Creating a Nascent Soul cultivator?" Xiao Wenbing was shocked. He had thought this was a special ability only he could master, but now, hearing Ronald's words, it seemed that this ability already existed in the Demon Realm. His eyes twitched slightly. He absolutely had to learn this technique; he could then widely promote it upon returning to the cultivation world.
"Yes, by fully unleashing life's potential, one can break through from the Golden Core stage and reach the Nascent Soul stage overnight."
Xiao Wenbing was taken aback. The more he listened, the more something seemed off. Activating life potential, and fully activating it at that—it sounded rather chilling.
Are there any long-term effects?
"Yes, but it doesn't matter anymore."
"Why?"
"Once their life potential is fully unleashed, their lifespan is only three months."
"Three months of lifespan..." Xiao Wenbing was immediately discouraged. It turned out that cultivators who entered the Nascent Soul stage through this method only had a mere three months to live. Well then, even if he brought this method to the cultivation world, he probably wouldn't be able to find any volunteers to try it.
"Yes, but during these three months, three top-level seniors will be undergoing their tribulations simultaneously. That will be their time to make their move."
Ronald spoke calmly, as if it were a matter of course, but Xiao Wenbing felt a chill run down his spine.
Trading a thousand lives for a single spot to ascend to the immortal realm, and with no guarantee of success... He shook his head slightly. What a bunch of lunatics...
Seemingly noticing the shock and confusion in Xiao Wenbing's eyes, Ronaldo's voice grew bitter: "If it weren't for that, almost no one would have been able to withstand the arrival of the eighth heavenly tribulation."
Xiao Wenbing understood this statement to some extent. Just because so many people in the cultivation world could ascend to the immortal realm did not mean that their cultivation level was higher than that of cultivators in the demon realm.
Rather, it's because in the cultivation world, it's easy to find the raw materials for refining magical treasures. Almost every cultivator above the Nascent Soul stage possesses a few respectable treasures.
When they reach the Tribulation Transcending stage, it becomes even more extraordinary. Even if they don't have level nine magic weapons, they will definitely not lack level seven or eight magic weapons.
In the cultivation world, if a top-level cultivator who has undergone tribulation doesn't have several level-eight or higher magical artifacts for self-defense, he simply wouldn't dare to show his face in public.
However, in the Demon Realm, let alone level eight magical artifacts, even level five or six magical artifacts are already extremely rare.
I remember when I first arrived in the Demon Realm, this demon-human...
The highest-level magic weapon he used to resist the heavenly tribulation was only a level six magic artifact.
Level 6, a magical artifact that even cultivators in the Separation and Union stage in the cultivation world disdain to use, is here actually the best treasure of a Tribulation Transcending stage expert.
Under the heavenly tribulation, whether or not one possesses a magical treasure for protection makes a world of difference.
It's absolutely unfair to carry a large number of level 7 and 8 magic treasures, and even one or two level 9 magic treasures, when you're going through your tribulation, compared to someone who only has level 6 magic treasures.
In the Flame Realm, relying solely on such a inferior magical artifact to survive the Heavenly Tribulation is only a matter of chance, if the heavens truly grant mercy and only send down seven bolts of heavenly lightning. If this person lacks sufficient good deeds, and the eighth bolt of heavenly lightning strikes, they will most likely be reduced to dust in the universe.
However, rather than hoping for divine intervention, it's better to work hard yourself. The people of the demon realm, having reached a dead end, ultimately chose this path, which is also filled with helplessness...
Xiao Wenbing abruptly stopped and looked back; the direction he was looking was Hero's Abode. After a long while, he asked, "Those Golden Core cultivators, are they...?"
"Yes, Master, it was a volunteer from Hero Residence."
How did they select them?
"Nine out of ten cultivators who have reached the Golden Core realm and have made no further progress within a hundred years will come to the Holy Temple and voluntarily enter the Hero's Abode."
"Anyone not coming?"
“Yes, the temple did not force anyone; they were all volunteers. However…” Ronald’s voice trembled slightly. “The Hall of Heroes has 10,800 seats, and there has never been a shortage.”
Xiao Wenbing's heart pounded a few times. There had never been a shortage of 10,800 seats...
He knew and understood the weight of those words, and so his heart felt heavy...
"Why are you doing this? Is creating an immortal really that important?"
"Yes, only after becoming an immortal can one comprehend the immortal energy. Only by entering the immortal realm and refining to the state of integration can one bring some immortal items back to the Flame Realm through the reverse passage."
"You...you all went through so much trouble to become immortals, just to come back?"
"yes."
"Why?"
“In order to…” Ronald looked up, his face seemingly shimmering with a holy light: “In order to prolong life in this world.”
Xiao Wenbing's body trembled, and he asked softly, "To prolong the life of a realm? Do immortals who descend to the mortal world have this ability?"
He had met the Divine Tree Ancestor, the Treasure God, and even fought against the Dark God, so he knew that extending the life of a realm was definitely not something that a few immortals could do.
To extend the life of a realm is something even the Treasure God is helpless against. Could those few immortals be more powerful than the Treasure God?
“Yes, the Venerables are omnipotent.” Ronald raised his head high and said with immense pride.
Xiao Wenbing frowned. He naturally wouldn't blindly believe these so-called venerable ones, but he was certain that these immortals who had descended to the mortal realm must possess some formidable abilities.
Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat as his Dark Infant sensed a faint aura. However, to his shock and anger, this aura wasn't approaching him; it had already concealed itself within his sensing range.
A thought flashed through his mind, and he realized that his emotional turmoil had significantly lowered his guard. This person had taken advantage of this opportunity to get close, while he remained completely oblivious.
However, now that his mind had calmed down, Dark Infant's abilities naturally allowed him to detect it.
Well, the fact that the Dark Infant didn't react much indicates that this person had no intention of killing.
The nascent soul controlled by the god is the most sensitive. If the person has ill intentions, they would have already given a warning. Why would they wait until the person notices it?
Xiao Wenbing closed his eyes slightly, seemingly deep in thought, but in reality, he was gathering information about this person through the observation of the Dark Infant.
In terms of cultivation level, he should be at the top level of the Tribulation Transcending stage. Hmph, it's quite an anomaly that he was able to sneak in here so quietly. However... his good luck ends here.
Xiao Wenbing took the Level 9 All-Powerful Bead from Ronald's hand, gently stroked its smooth surface, and asked, "This is a Level 9 magic artifact. Do you know what its wondrous uses are?"
"This disciple knows that the Universal Bead is the best amplifier among all magical treasures."
“Not bad.” Xiao Wenbing said calmly, “This universal bead, at the fourth level, can double the power of spells; at the fifth level, the power can be four times greater; and so on. At the ninth level, it is equivalent to sixty-four times the power. Therefore, although it only has this one attribute, the true power of the ninth-level universal bead is no less than that of an ordinary tenth-level magic weapon.”
Volume 4, The Divine Artifacts Chapter 299: Reunion with Elder Yan
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Chapter 299 Reunion with Elder Yan
With a slight smile, Xiao Wenbing reached out and patted Ronald on the shoulder, then abruptly asked, "Have you ever witnessed the power of the Level 9 Universal Bead?"
"No." Ronald paused, shook his head emphatically, and answered honestly.
"Is that so?" Xiao Wenbing revealed a strange smile, which for a moment even carried a hint of smugness. He said, "In that case, I'll show you."
Having said that, he casually flicked his finger across the universal bead.
Suddenly, a bright light burst forth, and a beam of intense light surged from the omnipotent bead, rushing towards the left rear with lightning speed.
As Ronald stared in disbelief, a deafening roar erupted from a patch of bushes, followed by a billowing cloud of thick smoke.
A fiery red figure emerged instantly from the thick smoke. A layer of fiery red protective energy emanated from the person's body. However, his clothes were tattered and his hair was disheveled, making him look no better than a beggar on the street. Moreover, perhaps angered by the sneak attack, his face was flushed red, as if he had drunk two whole kilograms of Moutai.
Xiao Wenbing was taken aback. He recognized the man; he was Elder Yan, one of the demon leaders who had once gone to the cultivation world. He just never expected to run into him here.
His heart skipped a beat. If this person recognized him, wouldn't all his efforts be in vain? He really didn't know if this person would recognize him.