Chapter 286: Qiao Huizhu Forms Her Golden Core

Huh?

Something's off!

In the past, the strengthened items always came in two copies, slightly different.

Why are these two exactly the same?

He Pingsheng frowned.

But after a few breaths, he suddenly understood.

Exactly the same is correct.

Because this isn't a technique or divine art—you can have two of those—but in the cultivation world, there's only ever one truth.

If you produced two different truths, which one would be real and which false?

So identical content is perfectly fine.

He put away one book and picked up the other, reading slowly.

This book was simpler—no need for thought, just read and absorb.

Cultivators have strong spiritual senses; they often read ten lines at a glance and never forget what they've seen.

That's what "photographic memory" means.

For several days straight, He Pingsheng immersed himself in these cultivation world truths.

Now that the Treasure Basin has strengthened them, these truths are surely more than just basic knowledge—they might even reveal hidden secrets of the cultivation world.

After about a month, He Pingsheng had read every page of the cultivation archives.

He walked slowly to the small hut where Qiao Huizhu was in seclusion, placed his hand on the formation, and the layers of the array unfolded one by one.

Qiao Huizhu, startled by He Pingsheng's sudden entrance, immediately ended her seclusion and asked: "Husband, what's happened?"

If nothing urgent had occurred, Qiao Huizhu knew her husband would never interrupt her cultivation so recklessly.

"Sister!" He Pingsheng said: "Stop trying—it's pointless!"

As he spoke, he pulled out a porcelain bottle and placed it before Qiao Huizhu: "Prepare for Core Formation!"

During this past month studying the cultivation archives, he learned one key point.

Previously, he had always believed that bypassing the 【Chaoyuan Pill】 and instead using sheer willpower to condense the Golden Core from a False Core would yield greater combat power.

True!

That's correct.

But that's only when compared to cultivators who use mid-grade, high-grade, or even low-grade 【Chaoyuan Pills】 to break through.

If you use a Supreme-grade 【Chaoyuan Pill】, there's no difference.

That is, spending thirty years painstakingly condensing a Golden Core from a False Core produces a Golden Core identical to one formed instantly by consuming a Supreme-grade 【Chaoyuan Pill】.

So why waste thirty years? Am I insane?

"Huh?" Qiao Huizhu said: "But… isn't it supposed to be done through personal willpower?"

He Pingsheng shook his head, then handed her the 【Cultivation Archives】: "Look—it's right here, on the last few pages, I'm sure."

"Oh…"

Qiao Huizhu placed the jade slip against her forehead and began reading.

After a few breaths, she stared blankly: "This… it's the same after all!"

"Exactly!" He Pingsheng said: "Since we have Supreme-grade pills, why bother with all that effort?"

"Just form your Core!"

"Alright!" Qiao Huizhu took the pill and said: "Husband, once you've formed your Golden Core after Foundation Establishment, you must face Tribulation Crossing!"

"I've never seen a heavenly tribulation, never witnessed anyone crossing it!"

"I… I'm a little afraid."

Cultivation is a rebellion against heaven—a battle for survival against the heavens.

Once you break through to the Golden Core realm, heaven itself will send down heavenly punishment.

This punishment takes the form of lightning that strikes the cultivator attempting to cross the tribulation—if they survive, they pass; if they fail, they die beneath the nine thunderbolts.

According to the 【Cultivation Archives】, each wave of heavenly tribulation consists of nine thunderbolts.

Due to differences in talent and innate quality, the number of waves drawn down varies.

Each wave has nine thunderbolts.

Some cultivators draw three waves.

Others draw four.

Some extraordinary individuals even draw seven or eight waves.

Depending on the number of waves drawn, these tribulations are called Three-Nine Tribulation, Four-Nine Tribulation, Five-Nine Tribulation, Six-Nine Tribulation, and so on…

Theoretically, the maximum is Nine-Nine Tribulation, the minimum is One-Nine Tribulation.

But in reality, in the cultivation world, One-Nine, Two-Nine, and Nine-Nine tribulations have never appeared.

Only Three-Nine through Eight-Nine exist.

Three-Nine is the weakest; Eight-Nine is the strongest.

When the tribulation arrives, the early waves are weak—any cultivator attempting to cross can withstand them—but later waves grow stronger and harder to defend against.

"Don't fear!" He Pingsheng said: "Ninety-nine percent of cultivators survive their tribulation. Those who die under it are either too extraordinary—jealous of heaven—or wicked beyond redemption, hated by heaven."

"Which one are you?" He Pingsheng smiled at Qiao Huizhu.

Qiao Huizhu immediately relaxed: "I'm neither!"

"Then what's the problem?" He Pingsheng said: "Didn't I give you a 【Ironwood Shield】 before?"

"You can use it during your tribulation!"

"And this… take it, put it on!" He Pingsheng pulled out a garment.

Seven-Clasp Sharp-Metal Armor.

This armor has twelve sealing layers and is a Supreme-grade magic treasure.

When charged, it can withstand seven strikes from cultivators of the same realm.

Using it to defend against heavenly tribulation is certainly sufficient.

"Alright…" Qiao Huizhu nodded: "Then… where should we go to cross the tribulation?"

He Pingsheng said: "Either way is fine!"

"First, find a desolate mountain outside the city—but that risks attracting karmic retribution!"

"Because when the heavenly tribulation arrives, it will kill all living things nearby!"

"It generates karmic debt!"

This isn't just scaremongering—even in the wild, though no humans are present, countless lives exist in the air and soil.

The Mystery School says: with every breath, ten thousand eight thousand lives are born and die.

"Second, the Governor's Mansion!"

He Pingsheng said: "There's a 【Immortal Inquiry Platform】 in the city. Pay a fee, ascend it, and cross your tribulation there."

"Which do you choose?"

Qiao Huizhu said: "Forget it—I'll cross it in the city."

"Outside is too dangerous."

"Fine!" He Pingsheng nodded: "Crossing it in the city is fine too."

"Get ready quickly—I'll take you there."

After a brief preparation, He Pingsheng led Qiao Huizhu to the Governor's Mansion.

"Hello!"

Upon entering a grand hall, He Pingsheng asked the female cultivator behind the counter: "Has anyone used the Immortal Inquiry Platform today?"

"No," the female cultivator shook her head. "Someone reserved it for tomorrow—today it's free."

"What tribulation are you crossing?"

"Golden Core or Nascent Soul?"

From Golden Core onward, every major realm breakthrough requires tribulation crossing.

The higher the realm, the stronger the tribulation.

But the number of waves remains fixed.

For example, if your Golden Core tribulation is Four-Nine,

then your Nascent Soul tribulation will also be Four-Nine.

No matter how high your cultivation rises afterward, it remains Four-Nine.

That's the fixed law.