Chapter 33

Today, the Immortal Alliance has many concepts that ancient cultivators cannot understand. For example, "any pill formula that requires extremely rare ingredients or herbs over a hundred years old has no value." This statement is enough to infuriate ninety-nine percent of ancient alchemists. These people have spent their entire lives on "finding formulas, finding precious herbs, and refining pills" and "finding mutated herbs, researching formulas, and refining pills." This statement is equivalent to negating their entire lives of cultivation.

The modern alchemists, however, think like this—what a joke, how can something that only produces one pill every few hundred years be a research subject? If it can't be studied, it can't be improved, right? It's better to use ordinary ten-year-old spirit herbs to study pharmacology than to waste time on something with no research value!

As for the approach of modern alchemists, it is—our goal is to make the cultivation world... cough, to refine ten-year-old spirit herbs to have the effects of ten-thousand-year-old treasures! And—just one isn't enough? No problem, take them by the handful, the cost is low!

According to measurements, the pills refined by modern alchemists using hundred-year-old herbs can already rival the ancient pills refined using three-thousand-year-old rare herbs, and the cost is less than one-thousandth of the latter.

Another concept that ancient cultivators find hard to accept is "a cultivator who doesn't understand theory and can't conduct research is not a good cultivator." All the abilities of modern cultivators are based on the exploration of the Great Dao. Therefore, how can a cultivator who is like a low-level animal, only mechanically training, accumulating experience, relying on instinct, and fighting, be a good cultivator?

It is also because of this concept that the courses arranged by the Immortal Academy are mainly theoretical. The students of the Immortal Academy must finish breakfast by 7:30 AM. At 7:30, all disciples gather in the training ground and practice the "Basic Fist Technique" and the "Basic Sword Technique" once under the guidance of a Foundation Establishment assistant teacher.

After that, until lunchtime, new disciples must study various theories. From the beginning of the year until November, the courses arranged by the Immortal Academy are all required. From December to the following June, new disciples can arrange their own courses.

After lunch, there is a two-hour nap. In the afternoon, the main courses are martial techniques and spells. In the evening, there is another theory class. After this theory class, the disciples of the Immortal Sect end their day's classes.

For every new disciple, the morning hours are extremely precious, as every word the lecturer says is related to their future prospects.

However, Wang Qi is an exception. Most of the time in theory class, he is lost in thought. The Immortal Academy only teaches introductory courses and rarely delves into advanced theories. The data Wang Qi is most concerned about, including the Planck constant, is not mentioned in specific values. This makes Wang Qi quite frustrated.

"Guided Flying Sword with Light and Electricity..." Bored, Wang Qi flipped through the textbook: "I'm curious why the theory of flying swords is taught to Qi Refinement disciples."

Zhen Chanzi quietly answered in his mind: "Actually, you just haven't learned the art of controlling objects yet. Using a flying sword to injure others is a basic skill for Qi Refinement cultivators."

"If that can be explained... I'm even more curious why a cultivator from Spirit Beast Mountain is teaching the theory course for Flowing Cloud Sect."

Wang Qi looked at the flying sword theory teacher, Xiong Mo, who was lecturing with great enthusiasm, and silently complained.

Xiong Mo, who looked to be in his thirties, was quite passionate in his teaching. From Wang Qi's perspective, Xiong Mo's class was quite good.

However, the robe he was wearing clearly had the emblem of Spirit Beast Mountain! Why would he be teaching a Flowing Cloud Sect course so openly?

It's a mismatch!

As Wang Qi was thinking, Xiong Mo had already moved on to the next commonly used Heavenly Formula. He lightly traced a formula and its main applications on the water screen that served as a blackboard. Xiong Mo cleared his throat, preparing to continue.

At this moment, his expression changed, and he lost control of his spiritual energy, causing the screen to turn white.

All the disciples in the lecture hall were shocked, but Xiong Mo looked delighted and said, "Students, study on your own for a bit. I'm going to transcend a tribulation! Finish questions two, three, five, and nine on page forty-two of the workbook before I return! I'll continue the lecture when I come back!"

This bold statement stunned everyone, including Wang Qi. After saying this, Xiong Mo immediately rushed out of the classroom, leaving everyone in disarray.

Wang Qi asked Zhen Chanzi in a daze, "You said that transcending a tribulation is the most dangerous for cultivators, right? But from the tone of this Uncle Xiong... it's no different from saying 'I need to go to the bathroom'!"

Zhen Chanzi was speechless: "Maybe he's just very confident... I really can't keep up with the times..."

Three minutes after Xiong Mo rushed out, the weather quickly turned overcast. The sky, which had been clear just moments ago, was now covered by dark clouds. Thunder rumbled continuously, as if a huge cart was rolling over the clouds. Blue-white lightning snakes writhed in the dark clouds, emitting a terrifying aura.

All the new disciples, including Wang Qi, who had practiced lightning or magnetic heart techniques, felt their internal magic power becoming slightly uncontrollable. In the air, a powerful electromagnetic field was gathering strength.

"Ah, I see... the strong magnetic field interferes with the magnetic poles of water vapor, causing clouds to form in the sky... the preparation for the lightning tribulation starts with the magnetic field?" Wang Qi originally wanted to study the principle of the lightning tribulation, but the magnetic field of "Heavenly Song" was on the verge of losing control, so he had to sit down and quietly practice his heart technique to regulate his breathing.

On the training ground, Xiong Mo looked at the dark clouds in the sky with indifference. He affectionately patted the back of another Core Formation cultivator standing beside him—though a bit too hard, almost causing the other's chest to resonate—and said, "Yunxiang, it all depends on you this time!"

The Core Formation cultivator named Yunxiang almost spat out blood: "Brother Xiong... be gentle, if you kill me, no one will help you transcend the tribulation!"

Xiong Mo rubbed his hands: "Sure, sure. By the way, how's your Thunder Imprisonment Spell? Do you need me to transform if you can't handle it?"

Daoist Yunxiang shuddered, looking like he wanted to vomit: "Absolutely not! It will lower your mental health value!"

Xiong Mo looked smug: "A move that can also crush the enemy mentally is a good move! It's coming."

"Right, right," Daoist Yunxiang said helplessly, "Let's fly above the ground. It's safer."

Xiong Mo followed Yunxiang's advice and floated three zhang above the ground. Yunxiang waved his sleeves, and several "magnetic qi" from "Heavenly Song" flowed from his hands. These magical powers condensed in the air and were restrained around the two by Yunxiang's spells. When the surrounding magnetic qi was sufficiently thick, Yunxiang clasped his hands in a circle, using the magnetic qi inside his body to drive the magical power outside. The magnetic qi around the two rolled continuously, eventually forming a perfect sphere.

Sweat appeared on Yunxiang's forehead: "Alright, the Tribulation of the Void cannot penetrate this. After the tribulation dissipates and the cosmic breath no longer interferes with you, you will truly be a Great Master of the Void. Congratulations."

Modern cultivators face their first lightning tribulation when advancing from the Golden Core stage to the Core Formation stage, and another when advancing from the Core Formation stage to the Void stage. The Void stage is the second hurdle of the third stage of modern cultivation, "Great Master." If Core Formation cultivators are powerful enough to suppress a region, then Void cultivators are the backbone of the Immortal Alliance.

As he spoke, a bolt of lightning struck. However, when the lightning touched the spherical magnetic qi shield, it was blocked. Blue arcs of lightning writhed on the surface of the sphere but could not harm the two cultivators inside!

If Wang Qi were here, he would immediately recognize the true nature of this shield—Faraday cage, a structure used to shield electromagnetic waves!

Xiong Mo laughed maniacally: "Hahaha! What can this lightning tribulation do to me?"

Yunxiang covered his face: "It sounds like you're handling it yourself."

Xiong Mo affectionately patted Yunxiang's shoulder again: "That's not the point! Hahaha..."

"Die, die, die! My bones are broken, broken!"

Yunxiang's cries of pain were drowned out by the increasingly intense thunder.

---

While Xiong Mo was transcending the tribulation, at the top of Xingshan Mountain, in the rear hall of the Immortal Alliance headquarters.

A layer of smog enveloped the rear hall, and Chen Jingyun, the Supreme of the Ten Thousand Dharma Crown, sat in front of the main door of the rear hall. Sensing the aura of the tribulation, he looked towards the mountain waist and smiled, a rare expression on his usually expressionless face: "Another one has advanced to the Void stage."

At this moment, a violent coughing sound came from the main hall. Chen Jingyun immediately stood up and quickly walked to the door of the rear hall. A middle-aged beauty pushed the door open. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and smiled: "Patriarch Chen, you can come in now. Palace Master Deng is fine."

This woman was the Laser Lady, Ma Jueli.

Chen Jingyun's face lit up, and he pushed the door open and entered the rear hall. Inside, a bed was set up, and Palace Master of the Heavenly Sword Palace, Deng Jiaxuan, lay on it, his face pale.

Chen Jingyun sighed in relief: "Brother Jiaxuan, how are you feeling?"

Deng Jiaxuan smiled and weakly nodded at Ma Jueli: "I'm fine. Thank you, Lady Ma, for saving me."

Ma Jueli shook her head: "It's my duty."

More than half a month ago, Ma Jueli brought the critically injured Deng Jiaxuan back to Xingshan and asked Chen Jingyun to protect her. Since then, she had stayed in the rear hall, treating Deng Jiaxuan's injuries.

Chen Jingyun asked, puzzled: "With so many of you going together, even if Daoist Buzhun is strong, it shouldn't have resulted in such severe injuries, right?"

Deng Jiaxuan shook his head: "It has nothing to do with Daoist Buzhun... cough, cough, I was useless and collapsed before I could even see the enemy."

"Didn't you only need to wait for seven days in the South Sea?"

Deng Jiaxuan wanted to speak, but Ma Jueli stopped him and answered for him: "The White泽 God's White泽 Calculation was not yet complete, and he missed one thing. Daoist Buzhun's temper is fiery, and he could not forgive Daoist Buzhun's betrayal. When blocking Daoist Buzhun, he fought with real anger. The White泽 God's plan was just to hold Daoist Buzhun for a moment, but Daoist Buzhun chased Daoist Buzhun for thousands of miles, disrupting the plan. In the end..." Ma Jueli shook her head and smiled bitterly: "The two brothers fought until they were exhausted in the Northern Sea and fell into the sea. Palace Master Deng, on the other hand, rushed from the South Sea to the Northern Sea, causing his old injuries to flare up."

"Where are they now?"

"Daoist Buzhun has been found with the Immortal Alliance's communication devices, but Daoist Buzhun is still missing."

The three discussed the issue of Daoist Buzhun for a while. Then, Ma Jueli got up to take her leave. Deng Jiaxuan asked Chen Jingyun: "How is the Immortal Academy?"

"Same as usual. Teaching is not my forte, so I haven't interfered much."

Deng Jiaxuan nodded and smiled: "That's best... I still need to secretly cultivate to recover. I'll have to trouble you to handle things."

"Also, someone just transcended a tribulation, a Void tribulation, in the direction of the Immortal Academy."

"That must be the kid from Spirit Beast Mountain, cough, cough." Deng Jiaxuan said: "I felt it too."

Chen Jingyun looked hesitant: "There's one last thing I'm not sure if I should say. About the new disciple named Wang Qi..."

At this moment, the Laser Lady, Ma Jueli, ran back into the main hall in a panic: "Patriarch Chen, there's a problem!"

Deng Jiaxuan instinctively reached for his Heavenly Sword, but the movement aggravated his injuries, causing him to cough violently: "Cough, cough, what is it?"

Ma Jueli pointed outside: "Look."

Deng Jiaxuan followed her finger and looked outside. The rear hall was shrouded in smog, and several golden bridges were faintly visible in the smog.

"Isn't this the 'Primordial Qi Array' of the Ten Thousand Dharma Sect?"

Chen Jingyun nodded: "I set it up."

The Primordial Qi Array disrupts the space-time within the smog. To break the array, one must walk through the several Primordial Golden Bridges without repeating. The foundation of this array is called the "One Qi Drawing Method," also known as "One Stroke Drawing," a derivative of topology.

Ma Jueli asked cautiously: "Do you remember how many array flags you used?"

"Seven, that's the most stable."

Ma Jueli looked devastated: "Isn't the Seven Bridges problem proven to be unsolvable?"

"The enemy can't get in."

"But have you thought about how we can get out?"

Chen Jingyun's face showed surprise.