The core forbidden area of Immortal Venerable Holy Land is shrouded in a faint glow all year round. The bamboo forest of Mount Myōboku appears even greener in the glow, with glistening dewdrops rolling on each bamboo leaf, refracting tiny rays of light. Tian Mai sits cross-legged on a blue stone in the center of the bamboo forest, her eyes closed, surrounded by a faint green Spiritual Qi that rises and falls gently with her breath.
"Hoo..." Tian Mai slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, and the rise and fall of her chest gradually stabilized. She could clearly feel that the Spiritual Power in her body had reached a saturated state, like a well about to overflow with water. With just a gentle push, it could break through that invisible barrier.
"Almost there." Tian Mai opened her eyes, a hint of understanding flashing in them. She had reached the end of the Foundation Establishment Stage in her Immortal Cultivation. The Spiritual Power in her dantian had condensed into a dense cloud of Spiritual Qi. As long as she drew upon the power of heaven and earth, she could compress this cloud of Spiritual Qi into Golden Core.
Just then, footsteps came from the mountain path in the distance. Tian Mai looked up and saw Tsubasa wearing a blue robe, walking slowly towards her. He had a gentle smile on his face, and his gaze fell on Tian Mai with a hint of relief.
"Ready?" Tsubasa walked to the bluestone and casually waved his hand, an invisible barrier enveloping the entire bamboo forest. This was a protective formation he had set up, which could not only isolate external interference but also provide a certain buffer when the heavenly tribulation descended.
Tian Mai nodded, a hint of anticipation in her voice. "Yes, the Spiritual Power within my body is now complete, and I can trigger the Heavenly Tribulation at any time."
"Then let's begin." Tsubasa took a few steps back, standing at the edge of the barrier, arms crossed over his chest. "I will protect you here. Don't worry, with me here, nothing will go wrong."
Tian Mai took a deep breath and closed her eyes again. Following the methods of Immortal Cultivation, she slowly mobilized the Spiritual Qi cloud in her dantian. As she moved, the surrounding Spiritual Qi began to surge wildly into her body, and the bamboo leaves in the bamboo forest rustled as if cheering her on.
Not long after, a muffled clap of thunder suddenly echoed in the sky. The once clear sky instantly turned into a thick blanket of dark clouds, with purple lightning churning within the black clouds. A terrifying pressure descended from the heavens, enveloping the entire Mount Myōboku.
"They're here." Tsubasa looked up at the sky, his expression turning serious. Although he knew that Tian Mai was a native of the Shinobi World and that the Will of the Shinobi World would favor her, the power of the heavenly tribulation was still not to be underestimated.
Tian Mai could clearly feel the oppressive force from the sky locking onto her. She showed no fear, instead accelerating the mobilization of her Spiritual Power. Under her control, the cloud of Spiritual Qi within her dantian began to slowly rotate, spinning faster and faster until it gradually formed a vortex.
"Boom!" A thick bolt of purple lightning cleaved down from the clouds, heading straight for Tian Mai. The lightning carried an aura of destruction, and wherever it passed, the air scorched and hissed.
"Now!" Tian Mai suddenly opened her eyes and quickly Hand Seals. The Spiritual Qi vortex in her dantian instantly erupted, and a rich green Spiritual Qi surged out of her body, forming a thick barrier in front of her.
"Bang!" The lightning struck the barrier hard, producing a loud bang. The green barrier trembled violently and cracks appeared, but it ultimately withstood the lightning's attack.
"Not bad." Tsubasa nodded, secretly praising her. Tian Mai's reaction speed and control over Spiritual Power far exceeded his expectations. It seemed that she had indeed put in a lot of hard work during her years of seclusion.
Without pausing, Tian Mai took advantage of the lull in the heavenly lightning to once again mobilize the Spiritual Power within her body. She could sense that the first bolt of heavenly lightning was merely an appetizer; the real test was yet to come.
Sure enough, not long after, the clouds in the sky began to churn again. This time, two purple bolts of lightning appeared in the clouds, thicker than the first and carrying an even more terrifying aura.
"Two bolts of lightning struck simultaneously; it seems the power of the heavenly tribulation is gradually increasing." Tsubasa's expression grew even more solemn, and he slightly raised his hands, ready to lend a helping hand at any moment.
Tian Mai took a deep breath, and her hand Hand Seals moved even faster. This time, she didn't create a barrier, but instead gathered all the Spiritual Power in her body into her hands. Her hands glowed with a faint golden light, and an aura of extreme yang and strength emanated from them.
" Yang Release Divine Palm!" Tian Mai shouted, thrusting her hands forward with a fierce motion. Two golden palm prints flew from her hands, heading straight for the two bolts of lightning in the sky.
"Bang! Bang!" The golden palm print collided with the purple lightning, producing two loud bangs. Golden light and purple lightning intertwined in the air, creating a spectacular scene. In the end, the golden palm print shattered the purple lightning, and the aftershocks spread outwards, only to be blocked by the barrier set up by Tsubasa.
Tian Mai's body trembled slightly, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth. Having taken two bolts of lightning in succession, she had already suffered some minor injuries. But she had no time to rest, because the clouds in the sky began to churn again. This time, three even thicker bolts of lightning appeared in the clouds, and their color changed from purple to gold.
" Pure Yang Gang Qi, this is forging the soul." A look of understanding flashed in Tsubasa's eyes. The Golden Core Tribulation requires not only forging the body but also the soul. Only when both the soul and the physical body reach a certain strength can one successfully condense the Golden Core.
Tian Mai could sense that the three golden bolts of lightning contained a rich concentration of pure Pure Yang Gang Qi. If struck, not only would her physical body be severely injured, but her soul would also be burned. However, she did not flinch at all; instead, she straightened her spine. As a member of the Senju Clan, she possessed an indomitable will and powerful vitality. This test could not defeat her.
Tian Mai closed her eyes and focused her mind on her body. She gave up resisting and let the Spiritual Power within her circulate freely. She knew that in order to condense the Golden Core, she had to endure the soul-forging pain of Pure Yang Gang Qi. Only in this way could her soul become stronger.
"Boom!" Three golden bolts of lightning struck down from the clouds at the same time, heading straight for Tian Mai. The lightning struck Tian Mai's body instantly, and golden Pure Yang Gang Qi surged wildly into her body, scorching her flesh and soul.
"Ah!" Tian Mai let out a painful roar. She could feel as if her body had been thrown into a furnace, every inch of her skin was burning, and every bone was trembling. Her soul felt as if it were being pierced by thousands of steel needles. The pain penetrated to the bone marrow, making her almost want to give up.
But at that moment, a warm power surged from within her body. It was the power of the Senju Clan's bloodline, and also the blessing of the Will of the Shinobi World. With the help of this power, Tian Mai's will became even stronger. She gritted her teeth and endured the soul-forging pain of the Pure Yang Gang Qi.
Tsubasa stood aside, watching Tian Mai's pained expression, feeling a pang of pity. But he knew this was a necessary process for Tian Mai; only through this could she truly grow. He didn't offer any help, but silently watched Tian Mai, ready to intervene at any moment when she was about to break down.
Time passed second by second, and Tian Mai's body was charred black by the Pure Yang Gang Qi, covered in wounds. But her eyes grew brighter and brighter, because she could feel that her soul was becoming stronger and stronger under the tempering of the Pure Yang Gang Qi, and the Spiritual Power in her body was also undergoing a qualitative change.
"Almost there." A realization flashed through Tian Mai's mind. She suddenly opened her eyes, quickly Hand Seals, mobilized all the Spiritual Power and soul power in her body, and began to condense her Golden Core.
Under her control, the cloud of Spiritual Qi within her dantian began to compress rapidly. The originally dense cloud of Spiritual Qi gradually became more condensed, and its color changed from green to gold. As the cloud of Spiritual Qi continued to compress, the prototype of a golden Golden Core gradually took shape.
Just then, the clouds in the sky began to churn again. This time, instead of lightning, a golden ray of light descended from the clouds. The light fell upon Tian Mai, instantly healing her wounds and nourishing her body and soul.
"This is a gift from the will of heaven and earth, and also the recognition of the Will of the Shinobi World." A gratified smile appeared on Tsubasa's face. Tian Mai had successfully condensed the prototype of the Golden Core, which was indeed much easier than when she Tribulation Transcendence! Next, as long as she absorbed this radiant light, she could officially break through to the Golden Core Stage and become a Golden Core Immortal Venerable.
Tian Mai felt the warmth on her body and a smile appeared on her face. She closed her eyes and began to absorb the golden light. The energy in the light flowed into her body continuously, and the nascent Golden Core core in her dantian was growing rapidly, becoming more and more solid.
Half an hour later, the golden glow gradually dissipated. Tian Mai slowly opened her eyes, a golden light flashing in them. She could clearly feel that the Golden Core in her dantian had fully formed, a golden Golden Core slowly rotating within her dantian, radiating rich Spiritual Qi and an aura of extreme yang and strength.
" The Golden Core is initially formed!" Tian Mai stood up and stretched. She could feel her life force becoming incredibly vigorous, surging like a tsunami. A faint golden light emanated from her body, and the limbs destroyed in the heavenly tribulation regenerated at a visible speed. With a casual wave of her hand, she unleashed a palm strike, emanating an immense yang power that purified the surrounding air, leaving not a trace of dust behind.
"Congratulations, Tian Mai, on becoming the fourth Golden Core Immortal Venerable." Tsubasa stepped forward and said with a smile.
Tian Mai turned around, cupped her hands in a gesture of respect to Tsubasa, and said with a hint of gratitude, "Thank you for protecting me, my husband. If it weren't for you, I might not have been able to overcome the tribulation so easily."
"That's your own ability; I just did what I was supposed to do." Tsubasa waved his hand, then changed the subject, "However, don't let your guard down. Although you easily passed the Golden Core Tribulation, the path of cultivation ahead will be even more difficult. You must cultivate more diligently, especially Nascent Soul Stage, that's the real test."
Tian Mai stepped forward, hugged Tsubasa, and nodded. She understood what Tsubasa meant. She could sense that the Will of the Shinobi World did indeed favor her, but this favor was not unlimited. Once her strength reached a certain level, the power of the heavenly tribulation might become even more terrifying, and the Will of the Shinobi World might not be able to help her then.