Chapter 238

When Wang Ping stepped into the third circle, Mo Ze and Zhang He both became tense.

Whether it's the quota of the Heavenly Flower Secret Realm or the Heart of Yang Marrow, their value is not small.

It's basically impossible to calculate with spirit crystals; if one really wanted to calculate, at least one would have to use source crystals to do so, and even then, each of these two exceeds at least ten thousand source crystals.

Source crystal is a higher-grade crystal than spirit crystal, and only a Void Refinement Stage great cultivator can cultivate using source crystals.

Each of them held a jade slip in their hand, which from time to time displayed information about Wang Ping in the third circle.

They are merely first-level instructors and still lack the qualifications to let the Dao Comprehension Valley's imagery appear before them.

But they can ask the guardian of the Dao Comprehension Valley, who will promptly deliver the message.

Hey! Wang Ping has already entered the 5.1x zone; looking at his speed, it has already begun to receive some pressure.

This is called Wang Ping's disciple's soul potential is not bad; estimated he can reach the 5.3x zone, and there's even a not-small chance to reach the 5.4x zone.

If Wang Ping is neither in Mo Ze's bet nor in Zhang He's bet, wouldn't these two be tied? The remaining few instructors secretly transmitted sound to each other.

Because of the bet, they also paid some attention to Wang Ping.

In the Dao Comprehension Valley, Wang Ping slowly walked deeper; he could feel the pressure he bore growing stronger.

But he was still far from his limit; he had just passed through the 5.2x zone and would soon enter the 5.3x zone.

As Wang Ping entered the 5.3x zone, Mo Ze's heart suddenly tightened; whether he could win the bet now depended on the present moment.

This kid's speed is really steady!

An instructor saw Wang Ping's speed and couldn't help but exclaim.

Mo Ze's heart sank; he also saw that after entering the third circle, Wang Ping's speed had not dropped; according to this speed, he was very likely to step out of the 5.3x zone.

This put Mo Ze in a bad mood; it wasn't that he felt sorry for his own Heart of Yang Marrow, but rather he regretted not winning Zhang He's qualification for the Heavenly Flower Secret Realm, which would have given him a chance to curry favor with a Heavenly Pride.

When Wang Ping stepped into the 5.3x zone and then entered the 5.4x zone, Mo Ze slowly closed his eyes.

In his heart, an irrepressible trace of regret and remorse arose.

Although Mo Ze could no longer win, Zhang He still did not show any excitement.

Mo Ze not being able to win does not mean he can win; if Wang Ping had not stepped into the 5.8x zone, their bet would be void.

After glancing at the closed-eyed Mo Ze, Zhang He's mood completely calmed down.

As long-time rivals, he naturally could sense a hint of regret from Mo Ze just now.

This further proved his guess: Mo Ze's desire for the Dao quota in his hand was not for himself.

Tsk! This kid has actually entered the 5.7x zone! Looking at this situation, it's entirely possible he'll enter the 5.8x zone!

An instructor who had been constantly watching the jade slip couldn't help but exclaim upon seeing the just-released message.

Upon hearing this, Mo Ze, who had been closing his eyes, suddenly opened them.

This kid!

Mo Ze inexplicably rose a trace of anger; opposite, Zhang He's face showed a trace of a smile, 'Good kid! Not bad!'

After a moment, Wang Ping entered the 5.8x zone, meaning Zhang He won the bet!

Zhang He laughed as he looked at the red crystal the size of a palm in his hand; this Heart of Yang Marrow, although not large, he estimated could at least allow him to extend his understanding of the Great Dao a bit further on the limit of his cultivation at Nascent Soul Great Perfection.

Don't underestimate this small section; after Nascent Soul breaks through to Spirit Transformation, all aspects increase in multiples.

Regarding the comprehension of the Great Dao, the deeper one comprehends it during the Nascent Soul stage, after breaking through to Spirit Transformation, the further one can go on the path of the Great Dao.

After humanity became the hegemon, the combat power of cultivators at each major realm had been roughly explored.

The gap in combat power, divine sense, Great Dao, Dao intent, and spiritual power quality between Nascent Soul Great Perfection and early Spirit Transformation is at least tenfold and up.

With a tenfold gap, once a breakthrough occurs, the difference between outstanding cultivators and ordinary ones becomes even greater.

The first-level instructors of the Dao Academy all have the combat power to overcome early Spirit Transformation, but that only refers to ordinary Spirit Transformation cultivators, i. e., a tenfold transformation.

In the case of an elevenfold transformation, it is rare for a Nascent Soul cultivator to succeed in overcoming.

Those capable of this can basically become inheritance disciples of the Dao Academy and will be titled Heavenly Pride.

As for disciples who overcome a twelvefold gap, they are often titled Clan-Suppressing Heavenly Pride and Supreme Heavenly Pride.

Zhang He now possesses this Heart of Yang Marrow, which can let his Great Dao go a bit further.

Besides that, Zhang He is confident that his combat power can reach a thirteenfold gap during transformation.

Zhang He glanced at Mo Ze again and said with a smile:

Thanks, Instructor Mo Ze, for the Heart of Yang Marrow! Hahaha!

Mo Ze wore a cold expression; over the years, his duels with Zhang He had seen both wins and losses, and his state of mind had long been honed.

If it weren't for the fact that the stake of this duel was too precious, he would have remained completely unflustered.

In the Dao Comprehension Valley, after entering the 5.8-times region, just as Wang Ping had anticipated, the pressure here had not yet reached his limit.

Even after reaching the sixth-multiple area of the third circle, Wang Ping still felt he was a bit shy of his limit, but he had no intention of moving forward.

First, because prior to entering the Dao Comprehension Valley, the cultivators guarding it had warned him not to cultivate at his limit.

Second, because he thought he might not feel the limit at the six-times level, but upon entering the fourth circle's 6.1-times region, he would be crushed by the pressure.

It is precisely this 0.1-times difference.

After choosing a suitable spot, Wang Ping flung out five formation flags, covering an area with a radius of one zhang; these flags were bestowed by the Dao Comprehension Valley, and once laid down they would let him remain undisturbed, or avoid disturbing others.

The Dao Comprehension Valley does this because it fears that some disciples' comprehended Dao arts might be too astonishing and disturb others.

After the flags were laid down, Wang Ping was eager to begin his cultivation.

A green light flowed over his body surface; the abundant wood spiritual energy completely enveloped Wang Ping, and the spiritual power within his body, after cycling through the five elements, all turned into wood spiritual power.

At the same time, Wang Ping kept throwing out one wood-element spiritual object after another from his hand.

In just a quarter of an hour, Wang Ping was immersed in the wood-element spiritual liquid; the whole area covered by the flags brimmed with vitality, and in the void, tufts of green grass and bunches of flowers sprouted out of thin air.

The first step in condensing the Yi Wood Divine Thunder—achieving vitality at its peak—Wang Ping has already completed.

Next comes the second step: withering.

At this moment, in Wang Ping's dantian, the original five-colored golden core had already turned into an azure golden core.

All the wood spiritual power was continuously absorbed by the golden core, strand after strand, wave after wave, the external wood spirit liquid visibly decreasing.

After an hour, the entire space returned to its original state.

But the change continued, Wang Ping was still plundering the vitality of his surroundings, even his flesh was withering.

An hour and a half ago the space was still full of vitality, but now it was utterly desolate.

The golden core in Wang Ping's dantian was beating slowly, having absorbed so much wood spiritual power; at this moment the golden core could be called a life spirit pearl.

If an ordinary person obtained it, living three hundred years would be no problem.

Having reached this point, the second step was nearly complete; all that remained was for Wang Ping to fully internalize the terrifying vitality within the golden core, and this step would be considered finished.

After another hour, under the sixfold increase in comprehension, Wang Ping carefully controlled the vitality within the golden core, continually internalizing it.

This step also had a supporting secret method, the Withering Technique, intended to allow cultivators to perfectly internalize the vitality in the golden core to the extreme, achieving the state of withering.

If someone could see Wang Ping's golden core at this moment, they would surely be shocked and lose their color.

Dim and lightless, the power of deathly stillness permeated.

This is clearly the state that only a golden core cultivator on the verge of death would have.

After the second step of withering was completed, the next step was the third step: Thunder Comprehension.

Wang Ping picked up a piece of withered wood from the ground; this was a ten-thousand-year lightning-struck wood.

Its main body had grown for ten thousand years, yet it had been struck by lightning; this piece of wood was where its essence resided.

Wang Ping needed to comprehend the profound mysteries of the thunder Dao on this lightning-struck wood in an extremely short time.

By doing so, using thunder to awaken the vitality within the golden core, to achieve the effect of spring thunder exploding.

Under the sixfold increase in comprehension, Wang Ping's thoughts were exceptionally active, and the ten-thousand-year lightning-struck wood was continually being analyzed by him.

Lightning is destruction, yet it also harbors a thread of life; that thread of life is the profundity Wang Ping must grasp if he wishes to seek it.

One hour, two hours, three hours… six hours have passed, yet Wang Ping still has not grasped the profundity of the lightning‑struck wood.

And this is with a sixfold boost to his comprehension; in the outside world, his speed of insight would undoubtedly be many times slower.

Wang Ping's time for comprehension in the Dao Comprehension Valley is limited to only twelve hours.

If he reaches the limit without having succeeded in his comprehension, he must withdraw; otherwise, his soul will suffer irreversible harm.

However, Wang Ping has already set a time reminder; at the last quarter hour, his setting will jolt him awake.

But when the time truly arrived, Wang Ping's attempt at condensation this time failed.

In the lower realm, those cultivators who practice the Qingdi Changsheng Gong, when condensing the Yin Wood Divine Thunder, often first spend a period comprehending the lightning‑struck wood; only after they have confidence in their understanding do they begin to condense.

After obtaining the lightning‑struck wood, Wang Ping naturally also comprehended it; originally he was not in such a hurry, but after experiencing the arena battle, he realized his combat ability among the white‑clad disciples was not top‑notch.

Moreover, having earned so many points, if he lacks sufficient strength, it would likely become a source of calamity for him.

Therefore, Wang Ping must complete his conception as soon as possible.

When the five‑colored divine light fuses with the five‑phase spirit objects and inscribes the five Dao arts, only then will Wang Ping have the means of self‑defense among the white‑ and yellow‑clad disciples.

Time passed breath by breath; at the tenth hour, Wang Ping finally grasped that thread of life within the lightning‑struck wood.

The most extreme scenario he had imagined did not come to pass.

After more than eight hours of comprehension, Wang Ping has been searching for that thread of life in a world filled with destruction.

His spiritual sense had been shattered countless times by the violent lightning, yet in the end he still found it.

The once pitch‑black end of the lightning‑struck wood actually sprouted a tender shoot!

Wang Ping's originally tightly shut eyes flew open, and a cyan‑gold lightning flashed across the depths of his black pupils.

Now!

Wang Ping let out a furious roar from his heart, and, following the records of the Qingdi Changsheng Gong, he formed a thunder‑law hand seal with both hands.

At the same time, he continuously uttered syllables that resembled thunder.

The thunderous sounds incessantly shook Wang Ping's flesh, causing his skin, tendons and bones, and blood to tremble along.

This thunder‑like trembling quickly affected the golden core in his dantian.

Boom—rumble! Boom rumble! Boom—rumble! …!

These sounds truly resembled the spring thunder that awakens all things; Wang Ping's golden core, which had lain dormant for over eight hours, began to tremble.

The whole process was extremely swift, almost in the blink of an eye, the lusterless golden core lit up with a cyan glow.

Noticing the change in his dantian, Wang Ping altered the syllable in his mouth again; this syllable is exactly that of the Yin Wood Divine Thunder. The Blue Emperor possesses great talent, astonishing aptitude, and he has comprehended the most fundamental variation of that syllable.

As the sound of the Yin Wood Divine Thunder's syllable rang out, the golden core within Wang Ping's body released a vast amount of vital energy; these vital energies, upon appearing, were affected by the syllable of the Yin Wood Divine Thunder, and actually began to continually gather.

More and more vital energy appeared, all of it condensed into a mass of cyan qi, then turned into a gas‑liquid mixture, and finally completely became liquid.

At that very moment, a strand of cyan‑gold lightning leapt within that great mass of cyan liquid.

This is the first strand; then came the second, third, fourth, … a hundred strands formed a bundle, a hundred bundles formed a single bolt.

Boom—rumble! …

In Wang Ping's dantian, a bolt of cyan‑gold lightning lay across above his golden core.

Thus, the Yin Wood Divine Thunder was accomplished!

However, Wang Ping's task is not yet complete; the newly formed Yin Wood Divine Thunder must quickly unite with the azure divine light.

With the sixfold boost to his comprehension, Wang Ping almost mastered the Yin Wood Divine Thunder within the span of ten breaths.

According to Wang Ping's experience of fusing the Heaven‑Overturning Seal into the yellow divine light, the fusion of wood‑attributed spirit objects with the wood‑colored divine light should be easy.

In fact, the process unfolded as Wang Ping anticipated; the fusion of the Yin Wood Divine Thunder and the azure divine light was quickly.

In merely half an hour, the two had completely merged together.

Wang Ping calculated on his fingers; he had already been in the Dao Comprehension Valley for one hour, and it should now have nearly an hour's time, fully sufficient to practice the thunder‑summoning technique.

When Wang Ping successfully condensed the Yin Wood Divine Thunder, a golden stone tablet standing on the fourth layer of Divine Mountain suddenly lit up.

This scene drew the attention of many people.

This stele and several other steles all possess the wonderful use of the Dao Academy's patrol.

The stele on the fourth layer tests divine abilities and Dao arts; it is called the Divine Ability Dao Arts Stele.

If a disciple cultivates an exceptional Dao art or obtains an exceptional divine ability, this stele will detect them.

Any divine ability or Dao art that can be listed on the stele is certainly extraordinary.

Those residing on the fourth layer are either instructors or purple-robed disciples.

This stele has been silent for decades; today it suddenly emitted golden light—surely a disciple in the Dao Academy has cultivated an exceptional Dao art and divine ability.

In an instant, hundreds of strands of divine sense spread to this place; these people all want to see who cultivated a Dao art and divine ability capable of shaking the Divine Ability Dao Arts Stele.

After the golden light faded, a line of large characters gradually appeared on the Divine Ability Dao Arts Stele:

White-robed disciple Wang Ping cultivated Yin Wood Divine Thunder! Reward: one Thunder Stone!

Upon seeing this scene, the cultivators all changed expression; a cultivator murmured in his cave dwelling:

"The Yin Wood Divine Thunder, which had disappeared for tens of thousands of years, has appeared; the heavens will change!"