With the exception of a very few weaker cultivators still en route to the core region, most had already plundered enough resources and arrived in the core area. They entered seclusion during the days leading up to the opening of the Da Luo Palace.
Gradually, the Da Luo Realm returned to peace, but beneath this tranquility, a greater storm was brewing.
Within the core region of the Da Luo Realm, countless demonic beasts lay dormant, and Demon Kings were secretly plotting. On the day the Da Luo Palace opened, they intended to make the human cultivators who had wantonly ravaged the Da Luo Realm pay a heavy price.
With nearly a year until the Da Luo Palace opened, Zhang Fan naturally intended to make good use of the plundered resources to elevate his cultivation.
Although his current cultivation was only at the mid-stage of the Eighth Tribulation Realm, the Dao Rules he had cultivated were more numerous than those of an ordinary Ninth Tribulation Realm cultivator.
The perfection of Dao Rules numbered one million. If any cultivator could cultivate Dao Rules to perfection during the Nascent Soul stage, they could instantly transform their Nascent Soul into Dao and condense a Void God.
However, cultivators capable of achieving this were exceedingly rare in the vast expanse of the Myriad Domain Starry Sky.
Zhang Fan cultivated both Sword Dao Rules and Lightning Dao Rules simultaneously. The difficulty in cultivating them to perfection during the Nascent Soul stage was greater than for ordinary cultivators, but he harbored such ambition.
He knew that only a fully Dao-transformed Nascent Soul, after undergoing the baptism of the Divine Transformation Tribulation, could cultivate the most powerful Primordial Spirit.
Currently, both his Sword Dao Rules and Lightning Dao Rules had surpassed nine hundred and fifty thousand. While seemingly close to perfection, they were, in fact, still far from it.
The closer one got to the perfection of a Rule, the more arduous the progress became.
Therefore, what he needed to do now was to elevate his cultivation. Once he weathered the ninth Nascent Soul Tribulation, his Nascent Soul would become even more powerful after the baptism of the heavenly tribulation, allowing him to cultivate and accommodate more Dao Rules.
Zhang Fan waved his hand, conjuring a massive amount of spirit crystals, all plundered from the powerful cultivators of the Teng Snake clan. Accompanying them were several potent Nascent Souls floating before him. Even sealed, they still emanated powerful spiritual energy fluctuations.
Zhang Fan pondered, feeling it was still insufficient. He then took out the Immortal Ganoderma he had acquired. A dense aura of immortal spiritual energy permeated the Golden Light Immortal Abode, making the very air seem sweeter.
Zhang Fan sat cross-legged, concentrating his mind. The cultivation technique of the Ten Ultimate Heavenly God Record circulated within his body, emanating a divine radiance. Every pore resembled a miniature black hole, ceaselessly devouring and absorbing spiritual energy. The power of heaven and earth within a radius of a thousand li poured in like a reversed river, all flowing into the Golden Light Immortal Abode.
Those cultivating within the Immortal Abode felt a domineering engulfing force and couldn't help but marvel. They recalled that when Zhang Fan was merely in the Fourth Tribulation Realm, he had used a devouring divine ability to consume a divine thought clone of the Flying Immortal Palace Master. It was likely this same technique he was employing now.
Not only could it be used in combat but also to aid cultivation, inspiring awe. What kind of divine ability possessed such might?
Fortunately, the members of the Six Prince’s Mansion and Luo Xiaoxiao’s group had obtained plenty of resources and did not need to rely on the ambient spiritual energy for cultivation. Otherwise, they would truly be in dire straits.
As time passed, the opening of the Da Luo Palace drew ever nearer. Cultivators began to emerge from the Golden Light Immortal Abode. After nearly a year of cultivation, most of them had broken through their realms. Luo Xiaoxiao, Wu Chen Sword Immortal, Tian Hua True Monarch, Lin Haotian, and several powerful figures from the Six Prince’s Mansion had all weathered heavenly tribulations, their strength significantly enhanced.
Luo Xiaoxiao, in particular, was now a Seventh Tribulation Realm cultivator. Even at the early stage of the Seventh Tribulation Realm, with her mastery of the Dark Path and her extreme golden Nascent Soul, she could contend with ordinary Eighth Tribulation Realm cultivators.
“These three, master and disciples, are truly not normal.” Even Xiao Yi, who considered himself exceptionally gifted, couldn't help but sigh upon seeing Luo Xiaoxiao. After all, she was merely a child of over ten years, yet her strength could be compared to ancient monsters who had cultivated for tens of thousands of years.
“With a Heavenly Godly Physique, she is naturally extraordinary.” Zhang Fan saw Luo Xiaoxiao, whose dark energy had grown even denser after the baptism of the heavenly lightning, and couldn't help but smile.
Among their group, the three strongest were Zhang Fan, Shen Feichen, and Xiao Yi. Despite nearly a year of dedicated effort and the consumption of vast resources, they hadn't achieved any major breakthroughs in their realms, but their strength had indeed increased considerably.
Zhang Fan had completely refined the immortal medicine, yet he had only reached the late stage of the Eighth Tribulation Realm, still a considerable distance from the Ninth Tribulation Realm.
Originally, Zhang Fan had planned to use this closed-door cultivation to reach the peak of the Eighth Tribulation Realm and trigger the ninth heavenly lightning tribulation. However, he had underestimated the resources required to advance his cultivation.
After devouring massive amounts of spirit crystals and numerous Nascent Souls, along with an immortal herb, he had only progressed from the mid-stage to the late stage of the Eighth Tribulation Realm, leaving him quite vexed.
This was merely the Eighth Tribulation Realm. After reaching the Ninth Tribulation Realm, how many resources would each subsequent step require? To cultivate to the peak of the Ninth Tribulation Realm might be enough to deplete the foundations of a top-tier force.
Xiao Yi had, at present, cultivated to the peak of the Eighth Tribulation Realm, but he did not rush to undergo tribulation. He intended to hone his skills within the Da Luo Palace before facing the ninth Nascent Soul Tribulation.
“The competition within the Da Luo Palace this time will be more intense than any previous occasion. You have already made breakthroughs since entering the Da Luo Realm. Even if you withdraw now, it would not have been in vain,” Shen Feichen said, gathering everyone and addressing Xiao Kun and the other cultivators from the Six Prince’s Mansion.
Hearing Shen Feichen’s words, no one spoke. The air was filled with a somber silence, as if they were all contemplating their future paths.
After a long pause, Xiao Kun glanced at Lin Haotian and the others, then chuckled and said, “Since we have already entered the Da Luo Realm, we must at least witness the legendary Da Luo Palace. Even if we perish within due to bad luck, I do not want to leave with regrets.”
“Hall Master Xiao speaks wisely. Once one embarks on the path of cultivation, danger lurks everywhere. If we fear it, why cultivate?” the other members of the Six Prince’s Mansion echoed.
Once the Da Luo Palace opened, a large number of top experts would gather. In addition to the cultivators from the other five top forces, there might also be reclusive powerful beings. Moreover, the Da Luo Palace itself was fraught with peril; even top experts of the Ninth Tribulation Realm faced the risk of perishing.
However, the path of cultivation demanded such fearlessness in the face of danger. The Nascent Soul stage was merely the initial phase of cultivation. If one lost their unwavering courage at this stage, how could they ever ascend to greater heights?
Zhang Fan did not question Lin Haotian and the others. Since they had decided to enter the Da Luo Realm, they would naturally wish to witness all the wonders this world had to offer.
“In that case, make your preparations and head for the Da Luo Palace,” Shen Feichen said, not attempting to dissuade them. There was no right or wrong in this choice; as long as one followed their heart, it was the best decision.