Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
A day later, an official announcement came from the Heavenly Court.
The announcement was quite simple and short, but it spread through the entire continent like wildfire and created an astonishing stir!
There was a cultivator in the Heavenly Court by the name of An Lin who could control divine lightning and increase the success rate of tribulation transcendence!
This was such a ridiculous notion, but it was given credibility because of the Heavenly Court’s seal of approval as well as the footage from a photographic crystal!
This was undoubtedly a landmark event across the entire continent, and if this was true, then a new era of cultivation would be ushered in where all of the races drastically increased in overall strength!
Generally speaking, it would take on average of about a hundred years or so for a new Return to Void Stage mighty figure to be born in the Kingdom of the Nine States.
However… there were vastly more powerful beings at the Return to Void Pinnacle Stage! If there was a way to increase the success rate of tribulation transcendence, then the population of the Return to Void Stage mighty figures would swelter to an extremely terrifying extent.
Regardless of whether you were an individual or a powerful entity, this was an earth-shattering piece of news that could tip the entire continent on its head!
In the Western Paradise, golden light was seemingly omnipresent as rainbow clouds of fortune floated in the sky.
There was a Bodhisattva sitting on a lotus flower. White flames manifested from the divine light of wisdom enshrouding her body, and she was smiling as she appraised the little monk before her.
This Bodhisattva was the Holy Trinity of the West, the Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, who was at the same rank as Amitabha and Guan Yin Bodhisattva. She had reached the pinnacle in the dao of light and wisdom. Heaven and earth resonated with her wherever she went, and she had the power to purify all evil.
“Qing Zhi, you have traveled the entirety of the Myriad Buddha Mountain and secured the Holy Bodhi Heart. You are now ready to break through to the Return to Void Stage, so why not take this opportunity to meet an old friend?” the Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva asked in her clear, ethereal voice.
The man before her put his palms together before bowing respectfully. “I would be happy to go at Master’s behest.”
Never would Qing Zhi have thought that the An Lin he had once competed against on the same stage would possess the power to completely tip the entire continent on its head. Even he would require An Lin’s help for his own breakthrough.
Sigh, one million five hundred thousand spirit stones. He was now well and truly bankrupt…
No! He had also borrowed a million spirit stones from his master, so he was not only bankrupt, but he was also knee deep in debt too…
On the black floating continent where the Dark Wing Tribe was situated.
“Hey! Have you guys heard? That human, An Lin, has the power to increase the success rate of tribulation transcendence!”
“Gasp… As expected of someone even the Monarchs are extremely wary of. How terrifying!”
“I’m so overwhelmed by grief… Why did we have to become the enemies of the human race? It would be so good if we were allies! I’ve been stuck at the Soul Formation Pinnacle Stage for over a thousand years because I’m scared of dying. I want to get An Lin’s help so badly! Waah…”
Similar conversations were not just taking place among the Dark Wing Tribe, but also among the Blood Tribe, the True Demon Tribe, the snow maidens, the West Sea Sea Monsters, and all forces who opposed the Heavenly Court. All of them were feeling extremely distraught.
They were about to tear their hairs out from their roots! Why would such a freak appear in the Heavenly Court? This wasn’t fair, and it didn’t make sense!
As for allies to the Heavenly Court, they were all ecstatic. Many powerful beings at the Soul Formation Pinnacle Stage were already borrowing money from everywhere in preparation to head for the Heavenly Court.
Money could be earned again in the future, but they only had one life, and they were going to give themselves the best chance at survival.
None of them wanted to pass up this opportunity to increase the success rate of their tribulation transcendence. Even if their tribulation transcendences did fail, all the spirit stones would be returned to their rightful owners, so the question really was—why not?
It had to be said that An Lin’s money-back guarantee had convinced almost all cultivators who were close to or ready for tribulation transcendence.
An Lin’s name was now well and truly known throughout the entire continent.
Many first-rate mighty figures also began to turn their attention to the Heavenly Court.
The last time everyone across the continent spoke fervently of his name was when he founded the Four Nine Immortal Sect as the sect leader.
This time, the effect was even crazier, especially among those in the Soul Formation Stage circles. Many of the Soul Formation Stage cultivators who were close to tribulation transcendence were close to begging on their knees for An Lin to help them out!
An Lin arrived at a vast dao plaza. This dao plaza was a round, floating stone altar surrounded by blue sky and white clouds. Iridescent light streaked through the air, and vital energy was extremely rich here.
This was the exclusive tribulation transcendence dao plaza for immortals of the Heavenly Court, the Heaven Defying Dao Plaza!
The Heaven Defying Dao Plaza was constructed from extremely sturdy material, which could withstand the strikes of Golden Void Lightning. As such, this was the location all of the living beings from around the world came for An Lin’s help to transcend their tribulation.
An Lin already had a rough plan of how much he was expecting to earn. This year, there were at least a dozen or so cultivators that had only just reached the Soul Formation Pinnacle Stage and were ready for tribulation transcendences. There were also many who were too scared to take the step forward and had remained at the Soul Formation Pinnacle Stage for many many years, so there should be much more than just a dozen or so gathered here today!
As a conservative estimate, there were maybe around sixty or seventy cultivators in this world that were ready for tribulation transcendences?
Discounting those who opposed the Heavenly Court, those who were too stingy, and those who were too proud and arrogant to accept help, there should be about thirty to forty left?
If each and every one of them paid him one million five hundred thousand spirit stones, that was going to be a massive fortune!
Of course, there were also hidden riches to be earned. For example, reputation as well as being able to make friends with a few dozen new Return to Void Stage mighty figures…
All in all, this was a win-win-win situation for An Lin.
An Lin sat around leisurely at the Heaven Defying Dao Plaza during the day, waiting for fated people to arrive. At night, he would go to his restaurant for another massive haul of spirit stones.
The day after the news was spread, there were two cultivators from the Kingdom of the Nine States who arrived at the Heaven Defying Dao Plaza.
One of them was a cultivator from the Dark Wind Imperial Family of the Wind Plain State while the other was a nomadic cultivator.
Both of them extended warm and enthusiastic greetings to An Lin before sitting down. None of them said anything about tribulation transcendence, and they were both clearly waiting for something.
An Lin knew that they were waiting for the first group of people to receive his help for tribulation transcendence. After all, they had to see the process with their own two eyes first before making a decision.
Who would be the first brave warrior? An Lin wasn’t in a rush. Someone was going to take that first step sooner or later.
Soon, powerful beings at the Soul Formation Pinnacle Stage arrived from the Garden of Eden, the Hall of Creation, the Dragon Court of the Eastern Seas, the North Cang Mountain Realm, and the Spirit Lake Realm.
The Snake Spirit Clan cultivator from the Spirit Lake Realm was a spirit snake with an extremely alluring body and delicate features. She had not brought enough money and asked in a low voice if she could pay him with her body instead.
An Lin turned her down firmly.
He was not interested in a transaction like this. All he wanted was money!
That’s right, he was the kind of person he was!
Five days later, there were over twenty cultivators at the Soul Formation Pinnacle Stage who had gathered at the Heaven Defying Dao Plaza. However, all of them were as cowardly as everyone else, and no one wanted to volunteer as a tribute.
Oh, right, and there were also over a hundred family members and friends who stood and watched from afar with worrisome expressions.
An Lin was a little exasperated. Was tribulation transcendence really that terrifying?
“Amitabha, Benefactor An Lin, long time no see.”
At this moment, a monk with a set of finely chiseled features descended from the sky atop a cloud of fortune.
An elated expression appeared on An Lin’s face. “Mr. Qing Zhi! Long time no see. I didn’t think your cultivation base would progress this quickly!”
“I encountered some miraculous opportunities,” Qing Zhi put his palms together and replied in a tranquil voice.
“What opportunities?” An Lin was a little curious.
For Qing Zhi to progress from the Half-Step Soul Formation Stage to the Soul Formation Pinnacle Stage in two years most likely made him the most improved cultivator from all of the prodigies gathered at the last Dao Exchange Conference of the Four Powers!
Of course, this was discounting An Lin.
Qing Zhi closed his clear eyes and bowed slightly. “Buddha said not to disclose this information.”
An Lin’s lips twitched with a speechless expression. “Buddha can say whatever he wants, but you don’t have to listen!”
Qing Zhi: “…”
Before Qing Zhi could say anything, An Lin continued, “Mr. Qing Zhi, are you here for your tribulation transcendence as well?”
Qing Zhi nodded. “That’s right. Do I need to line up? There are already so many people here.”
An Lin waved his hands. “You’re my friend, so you take priority. You can go first!”
Qing Zhi was a little hesitant. “Is… Is that ok?”
“Of course it is! I’m the boss here!” An Lin slapped a hand to his chest in response.
“Amitabha, then I must thank you, Benefactor An Lin.” Qing Zhi was not one to argue, and he put his palms together before nodding with gratitude.
All of the spectating powerful beings at the Soul Formation Pinnacle Stage: “…”
The same thought welled up in all their minds. Was this the legendary friend-slayer?
Thus, Qing Zhi became the first lab rat… ptui! The first tribulation transcender!
