Chapter 244: Cultivation Advancement
"Go die, bastard…"
Words like that were completely ineffective against Franklin. He chuckled lightly and headed straight for the third floor. It was time to improve his cultivation.
He still had no idea what attitude the Origin Spirit would take toward him. If he wanted the ability to protect himself, he had to advance again.
He had been stuck at this realm for far too long—it was time to break through to the Spirit Transformation stage.
Ever since mastering World Genesis, Franklin had spent forty-eight years in the Ninja World, setting up a massive number of Spirit-Gathering Arrays across many locations.
Although they could only produce low-grade spirit stones, they yielded hundreds of billions of low-grade spirit stones each year. Over twelve years, the total output had reached at least one hundred and twenty billion low-grade spirit stones. As for the exact number, Franklin had never bothered to calculate it.
At first, Franklin thought that gathering such an enormous amount of spiritual energy would affect the Ninja World. It wasn't until he later traveled to the moon to investigate that he discovered the vacuum of the universe was not truly empty.
Although it lacked substances like air, spiritual energy was virtually inexhaustible—only differing in density.
Wrapping all the spirit stones he had obtained with his divine sense, Franklin opened the Dimensional Heavenly Tome.
Physical cultivation: Blood Qi Realm, early stage (average cell diameter: 999 femtometers)
[Dimensional Space]
[Description: The internal space of the Dimensional Heavenly Tome. Time inside the space is completely frozen. A massive amount of spirit stones is required to maintain the opening duration of the Dimensional Space.]
[Within the Dimensional Space, a large number of spirit stones can be consumed to freely control and modify the cultivation environment as desired through one's consciousness. The higher the cultivation, the greater the spiritual energy consumption.]
[Usage restriction: Once per month. The longer the stay after entering, the greater the energy consumption.]
[The time difference between the Dimensional Space and the outside world is extreme—practically a time-stopped space. As such, spiritual energy consumption is enormous. Should the awakened talent user enter the time-stopped space?]
[Yes] [No]
"Yes."
In the next instant, Franklin entered the Dimensional Space. Looking at the surrounding pure-white void, he exhaled softly and sat down cross-legged.
He planned out an independent space of ten cubic meters, drawing spirit stones into it until his entire body was completely surrounded. The spirit stones shattered rapidly, and gentle, controllable spatial power flowed around him.
The Space Overlord Art slowly began to circulate. As the technique operated, the gentle spatial power poured into Franklin's body, evenly enveloping the countless cells throughout his entire physique.
After completing one full circulation, the technique shifted. The controllable spatial power began uniformly compressing every single cell in Franklin's body. As time passed second by second, the spirit stones around him were consumed at a rapid pace.
Five years passed in the blink of an eye. Half of the one hundred and twenty billion low-grade spirit stones were consumed, and at that moment, Franklin finally opened his eyes.
Boundless qi-blood power surged outward, causing ripples to form even in space itself.
He exhaled softly and summoned the Dimensional Heavenly Tome once more.
Age: 47 / 2092
Spiritual cultivation: Nascent Soul Realm, peak (Nascent Soul growth: nine years and five months; when growth reaches nine years, eleven months, and thirty days, it will be complete perfection)
Physical cultivation: Blood Qi Realm, peak (average cell diameter: 50 femtometers)
Both his spiritual cultivation and physical cultivation had reached their peaks. Franklin let out a long breath and summoned the Dimensional Heavenly Tome again.
[Dimensional Summoning]
[Description: Allows the summoning of items and beings from countless dimensions. Now fused with the Dimensional Heavenly Tome.]
[Usage method: Silently think of the desired item. Sacrifice one hundred and sixty years of lifespan to perform a standard summon. Special circumstances may trigger a special summon.]
[Safety clause: All summoned items and beings will be forced to sign an equal contract with the Heavenly Tome.]
Seeing that each summon required the consumption of one hundred and sixty years of lifespan, Franklin rubbed his temples with a headache.
Each time, the cost doubled. After three summons, each one would consume nearly two thousand years of lifespan. No matter how much lifespan he had, it wouldn't be enough to burn through like this.
Taking a deep breath, Franklin suppressed the pain in his heart and silently summoned an item to counter the Spirit Transformation thunder tribulation.
[Age: 47 / 1932]
A seven-colored vortex appeared out of thin air. After swirling briefly, a wooden box fell out. As the vortex disappeared, the wooden box transformed into a streak of white light and entered the Dimensional Heavenly Tome.
Flipping through the book rapidly, the item information soon appeared.
[Five Elements Tempering Spirit Pill] (1/1)
Origin: Origin Continent
Grade: Sixth-tier, supreme quality (comparable to pills used by Void Refinement Realm powerhouses)
Target: Cultivators undergoing the Five Elements Thunder Tribulation of the Spirit Transformation stage
Method of consumption: Direct ingestion
Effect: Uses the Five Elements power of the thunder tribulation to temper the body and strengthen the soul
Description: Do you have enough willpower? If you think you do, then try it.
No need for any thunder tribulation resistance methods—simply endure the Five Elements thunder tribulation with unwavering will, and your cultivation will increase dramatically.
(Those who survive tribulation using this pill are less than one in ten thousand. Consume with caution.)
After reading the description, Franklin felt like vomiting three mouthfuls of blood. This was nothing but a waste of lifespan.
Without the slightest hesitation, Franklin steadied his breathing and performed another Dimensional Summon.
[Age: 47 / 1772]
[Dimensional Summoning successful]
The seven-colored vortex appeared once more, and another wooden box fell out. Seeing this, Franklin's heart instantly began to race.
He flipped open the Dimensional Heavenly Tome again, and once more, pill information appeared.
[Soul-Stabilizing Pill] (1/1)
Origin: Origin Continent
Grade: Sixth-tier, supreme quality (comparable to pills used by Void Refinement Realm powerhouses)
Target: Cultivators undergoing the Spirit Transformation Tribulation
Method of consumption: Consume before the thunder tribulation
Effect: Stabilizes the soul, strengthens the transformed spirit, fortifies willpower—ensuring the transformed spirit does not perish
Description: Do you have enough willpower? If you think you do, then try it.
No need for any thunder tribulation resistance methods—simply endure the Spirit Transformation thunder tribulation with unwavering will, and the strength of your transformed spirit will increase dramatically.
(Those who survive tribulation using this pill are less than one in ten thousand. Consume with caution.)
Looking at the familiar description, Franklin felt his scalp throb with pain. Such sloppy explanations—relying on these two pills to pass the tribulation would be pure idiocy.
Just as he was about to use Dimensional Summoning again, a voice rang out within his sea of consciousness—it was You Wange.
"Are you planning to summon items needed to deal with the Spirit Transformation thunder tribulation? Do you want me to give you some pointers?"
Franklin did not hesitate in the slightest. Taking a breath, his consciousness directly entered the sea of consciousness. From afar, he saw a refined and elegant courtyard floating in the sky above it. Inside the courtyard, flowers, plants, and trees were all neatly arranged.
In the pavilion within the courtyard, two figures sat together. Scratching his head, Franklin descended directly into the pavilion.
Seeing You Wange and Ōtsutsuki Kaguya chatting in close familiarity, Franklin coughed lightly to draw their attention.
"Tell me—what preparations are needed to pass the Spirit Transformation thunder tribulation?"
Seeing Franklin's somewhat anxious expression, You Wange smiled faintly and gestured for him to sit.
"One must never rush when doing anything—especially when facing a life-and-death thunder tribulation."
"The Spirit Transformation tribulation is divided into three parts: the Five Elements Thunder Tribulation, the Spirit Transformation Tribulation, and the most terrifying of all—the Heart Demon Tribulation."
"The first two can be passed through one's own efforts and a bit of luck. As for the Heart Demon Tribulation, it corresponds to the cultivator's inner heart."
"The heart demon tribulation you faced at the Spirit stage was merely a prelude. As long as you're careful, it poses no real threat."