The Tribulation of a Cultivator!
This is the "Way of Heaven and Earth"!
To defy this Way is to invite retribution!
In simpler terms:
It's not impossible for a cultivator to advance directly without "undergoing tribulation."
However, by skipping the "tribulation" phase, their foundation becomes weak, their future prospects limited, and further progress becomes difficult.
"Backdoors" and "connections" ultimately can't compare to "true skill."
Just like those cultivators who advanced earlier, whether they condensed their Nascent Soul or Golden Core, their overall being was weaker, appearing semi-transparent, their foundation hollow.
This situation is dangerous and troublesome.
They are weaker than ordinary "Nascent Soul cultivators" and "Golden Core cultivators."
Moreover, as their cultivation grows, this disparity will become increasingly apparent.
But now, with the "Thunder Lake," all problems are solved.
Those cultivators can enter the "Thunder Lake" and undergo "Heavenly Tribulation Re-education."
Getting on the bus first, then buying the ticket.
As long as they successfully pass the "Heavenly Tribulation" in the "Thunder Lake," they will be like normal cultivators, with a solid foundation and no weaker than anyone else in their cultivation.
From this perspective, it seems no different from undergoing tribulation oneself, so why go through the trouble?
In reality, the situation is completely different!
First point, "getting on the bus first, then buying the ticket."
You have already advanced to the "Nascent Soul realm," your Dao and strength have improved comprehensively, and you can even use many "Nascent Soul level divine abilities."
At this point, if you then go back to undergo the "Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation," it's like an "open-book exam," very easy! Even if the pass rate isn't 100%, it's at least 99%!
Second point, "Heavenly Tribulation" is wild and uncontrollable. If you can withstand it, you'll successfully pass; if you can't, you'll be instantly annihilated.
The "Thunder Lake," however, is domesticated and controllable! If you truly cannot withstand the "tribulation lightning" in the "Thunder Lake," you can shout for help, and the cultivators maintaining the formation can switch it off. The "tribulation lightning" will stop immediately, with no danger whatsoever!
In comparison, the "Thunder Lake" is incredibly user-friendly!
"Ah ha ha ha... This is wonderful! I never imagined that I, a trash with a one-dragon-pattern Golden Core, would one day be able to advance to the Nascent Soul realm!"
An old man with white hair and a face full of wrinkles danced with excitement, his expression bordering on madness!
His name was Yi Shisan, a steward of the "Yun Family Immortal Mansion."
His Dao cultivation was not weak, at the "Great Perfection of Golden Core realm"!
Logically speaking, someone like Yi Shisan, with his cultivation, should at least be an "Elder."
Unfortunately, Yi Shisan's talent was limited. When he "formed his core" back then, he only managed to form a "one-dragon-pattern Golden Core" with great difficulty.
A "one-dragon-pattern Golden Core" is essentially a "waste core."
For the vast majority of cultivators with a "one-dragon-pattern Golden Core," their Dao cultivation stagnated from the moment they "formed their core," making it impossible for them to advance further to the "middle stage of Golden Core realm" in their lifetime.
And this old man Yi Shisan could be considered a model of "mortal cultivation."
Despite his poor talent, he possessed incredible resilience. He diligently cultivated every day without any relaxation.
Thus, day after day, year after year, he truly managed to succeed. After enduring countless hardships, he finally advanced to the "Great Perfection of Golden Core realm."
The "Great Perfection of Golden Core realm" is the step before breaking through the bottleneck, surpassing one's limitations, and advancing to the "Nascent Soul realm." Not only would this bring them closer to the "Supreme Dao," but their lifespan would also drastically increase, allowing them two thousand years of leisurely happiness!
Alas, this final step was as far as Yi Shisan could reach, a "prospect as distant as the horizon"!
He simply could not take this step!
Although he had barely cultivated to the "Great Perfection of Golden Core realm," the foundation of a "one-dragon-pattern Golden Core" was too weak. His strength was even inferior to that of an ordinary "late-stage Golden Core cultivator."
If he were to forcefully break through and trigger the "Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation," he wouldn't even be able to withstand the first bolt of "tribulation lightning" and would be reduced to ashes in minutes.
At that time, Yi Shisan felt disheartened. He voluntarily offered to serve as a steward in the outer sect, hoping to discover two promising "cultivation talents" to inherit his "lineage" and carry on his "cultivation dreams"!
The disheartened Yi Shisan came to observe the "Sect Competition" this time merely for a bit of excitement. For an elder in his "twilight years," every chance to witness such an event was a precious one.
However, he never dreamed that a "heavenly opportunity" would descend upon him so unexpectedly.
The "Oriental Star Chart" from the "Mysterious Senior" arrived!
The "Golden Page" from the "Mysterious Senior" arrived!
The "Mysterious Senior" instructed all cultivators to break through their bottlenecks together and "undergo tribulation" together!
At that moment, Yi Shisan didn't overthink it. He directly broke through his bottleneck and began his advancement.
And then...
The "super colossal heavenly tribulation" formed by the superposition of over five hundred bolts of "heavenly tribulation," possessing world-destroying power, was effortlessly subdued by the "Mysterious Senior" and transformed into the "Thunder Lake," which settled within the "Yun Family Immortal Mansion."
Thus, Yi Shisan, in a way he never could have imagined, "through a backdoor," successfully "underwent tribulation" and advanced to become a "Nascent Soul cultivator."
Yi Shisan's "Nascent Soul" was extremely weak, appearing "semi-transparent," with a faint "origin spiritual light" swirling around it.
He had a "one-dragon-pattern Golden Core" and could only condense one strand of "natal spiritual light."
In the future, when he refined his "natal magical treasure," he would only have this one strand of "natal spiritual light" to refine.
Yi Shisan's "Nascent Soul realm" could be considered the "basement of Nascent Soul," the absolute weakest.
A talented individual at the "Great Perfection of Golden Core realm" could even defeat Yi Shisan, this "Nascent Soul cultivator," with relative ease!
But what did that matter?
Yi Shisan was self-aware. He never intended to compete with those "talented individuals"!
From beginning to end, Yi Shisan's opponent was only himself.
To go further!
To walk a longer path on the "Dao of Immortality"!
That was his life's "ultimate pursuit"!
"Hahaha... I never thought this old man could also reach the Nascent Soul stage. Wuwuwu... Thank you, Senior, thank you, Senior!"
Overwhelmed by immense surprise, Yi Shisan started crying even as he laughed.
He sobbed uncontrollably, knelt down towards the direction of the "Purple Jade Bamboo Forest," and performed the "three kowtows and nine bows" ceremony with utmost respect and piety.
"Senior is the light, Senior is the lightning, Senior is the only legend..."
Yi Shisan began to sing a "battle song" in a hoarse, trembling voice.
Though his singing was terrible, the entire audience was solemn. No one ridiculed Yi Shisan.
This old man's journey has been difficult!
After hundreds of years of cultivation, he finally broke through today!
What he sang was not a "battle song," but his "state of mind," his boundless reverence for the Senior!
The Senior is the "light" in all of our hearts!
Do you believe in "light"?
The Senior is "light"!