Just like forming a Nascent Soul, breaking through to Stage Four of body cultivation also meant Wei Tu had to go through another round of lightning tribulation.
But this time, the tribulation wasnât hard for him at all.
He didnât dodge or defend. Without using any protective artifacts, he relied purely on his Stage Four body to easily pass through a tribulation that most new Nascent Soul cultivators would avoid at all costs.
What surprised him even more was that not only did his physical body strengthen as expected, but his Nascent Soul was also refined by the lightning, becoming more spiritual and alive.
Seeing this, Wei Tu finally realized that some of the cultivation worldâs sayings werenât just empty talk.
âLightning tribulations werenât just disasters. For those who faced them, they were also a kind of fortune.
Still, this kind of cultivation insight wasnât something he planned to share.
After all, not everyone could break through to Stage Four of body cultivation and trigger a second "Nascent Soul Tribulation."
Any body cultivator who had the chance would definitely take it head-on, using their physical strength to resist the tribulation and temper themselves.
But for Nascent Soul cultivators on the path of internal cultivationâeven if he told themâthey wouldnât have the courage to expose their fragile new Nascent Soul to such deadly lightning.
So for most Nascent Soul cultivators, this knowledge was pretty much useless.
âŠ
Two months later.
Wei Tu completed his consolidation and emerged from seclusion.
On Yuangjun Island, he didnât have many acquaintances. So the only ones who came to congratulate him were Nangong Zhe and Ying Ziming from the Blood Flood Dragon Merchant Guild.
Compared to Nangong Zheâs usual calm demeanor, Ying Ziming looked utterly shocked when he came to greet Wei Tu. It was clear he hadnât expected that this new friend heâd just made would achieve such incredible progress in only two years.
"Brother Wei's future is limitless," Ying Ziming sighed inwardly, quietly evaluating.
Two years ago, they had been equals. Both of them were in the early Nascent Soul stage.
At that level, Wei Tu wasnât much younger than himâjust a few hundred years younger.
But now, in both potential and status, they had become completely different.
He didnât even need to guess. Just seeing how Nangong Zhe, the guild leader, now treated Wei Tu like a superior was enough proof.
Nangong Zheâs attitude was so polite and deferential, clearly seeing Wei Tu as someone above him.
Witnessing this, Ying Ziming let out a silent sigh and subtly distanced himself from Wei Tu during the conversation. His expression turned cooler, like he didnât want to get too close.
He was nothing like the chatterbox from a few years ago.
After all, he wasnât about to lower himself like Nangong Zhe just to flatter Wei Tu.
Wei Tu noticed it, of course.
But everyone had their own path. He and Ying Ziming were only casual acquaintances anyway. No need to force a closer relationship. Keeping their distance and staying out of each other's way was enough.
"This time, I came not only to congratulate Fellow Daoist Wei on breaking through to Stage Four of body cultivation, but also for another matter."
After the dishes had been served and a few rounds of drinks passed, Nangong Zhe set down his cup and, after thinking for a moment, spoke.
Hearing that, Wei Tu raised an eyebrow slightly, already guessing the reason.
A few years ago, the reason he chose the Blood Flood Dragon Merchant Guild and asked them to help him acquire a Condensed Soul Pill at a high-grade auction was simple.
At the time, the guild was in trouble and urgently needed to boost their guest cultivator strength.
So joining them was far easier than trying to enter another major force.
As for that troubleâit wasnât anything huge.
It was just a territorial dispute over a spiritual land on an offshore island between the Blood Flood Dragon Merchant Guild and a rival force of similar rank.
Conflicts like this happened every day in the cultivation world.
But the key issue was that over 20 years ago, that rival forceâthe âSpider Heart Sectââsuddenly gained a powerful Nascent Soul cultivator at the mid-stage.
That one addition immediately tipped the balance of power.
Now, outside the territory of Yuangjun Island, the Blood Flood Dragon Merchant Guild didnât even dare show their face. If they did, the Spider Heart Sect would immediately move to block and ambush them.
Sometimes it got serious enough that the guild not only lost their cargo but also lost several cultivators who were escorting it.
So before joining the guild, Wei Tuâs plan was simpleâuse them, then leave. Avoid getting dragged into a war between two Nascent Soul-level forces.
Butâ
Two years ago, after he learned the value of spirit crystals at a high-grade auction, his plan changed.
This time, the reason he didnât hide his name or change his appearance when joining the Blood Flood Dragon Merchant Guild wasnât because he had become careless after reaching the Nascent Soul stage.
It was because, compared to the Great Cang Immortal Realm, the cultivation world in the Guixu Sea was far more advanced. Their methods of identifying Nascent Soul cultivators were much more sophisticated.
For safety, he had to use his real name and face to join the guild.
Because of that, it was easy to predictâ
If something happened to his true identity âWei Tu,â finding another group like the Blood Flood Dragon Merchant Guild to join in the Red Algae Sea would be incredibly difficult.
And if he didnât join a Nascent Soul-level force, then aside from acting as a bandit to earn some spirit crystals, heâd have no other options in the Red Algae Sea.
"If Guild Master Nangong has something to say, just speak freely. We're both part of the Blood Flood Dragon Merchant Guildâthereâs nothing that canât be said."
Wei Tu gave a faint smile as he replied.
No matter what he really thought inside, he wouldnât fall out with Nangong Zhe at this moment. At the very least, he had to keep up appearances.
Seeing Wei Tu was already on the same page and showed no displeasure, Nangong Zhe nodded quietly, his opinion of Wei Tu rising another notch.
As a subordinate of the Imperial Princess, of course he wanted to recruit Wei Tu into their organization to help fulfill her grand ambition.
"Since Fellow Daoist Wei has said so, then this old man wonât hold back."
Nangong Zhe stood up, gave Wei Tu a respectful cupped-fist salute, and then said with a hint of apology, "My purpose is to ask Fellow Daoist Wei to assist the guildâs other cultivators. In half a year, we plan to take action against the Spider Heart Sect and crush their arrogance."
As he finished, Nangong Zhe carefully watched Wei Tuâs reaction. Seeing that his expression didnât change, he went on.
"Of course, as for the Old Mother Earth Spider from the Spider Heart Sect, the guild will specifically hire a mid-stage Nascent Soul expert to block her. We wonât let you fall into danger."
Nangong Zhe added.
The Old Mother Earth Spider was the only mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator in the Spider Heart Sect.
Wei Tu knew a bit about her.
"This matterâŠ"
Hearing such careful arrangements, Wei Tu was already inclined to agree. With his strength, even if he did run into the Old Mother Earth Spider, he could retreat safely.
He might even gain combat experience from fighting her.
After all, based on intelligence, she had only just recently advanced to the mid-stage of Nascent Soul.
Her strength clearly wouldnât match that of Ancestor Liuyu, whom heâd dealt with before.
Still, on the surface, Wei Tu showed hesitation, looking as if he didnât want to accept.
He hadnât forgotten why he was still staying in the Blood Flood Dragon Merchant Guild.
"Guild Master Nangong should know, Iâm a newly advanced Nascent Soul cultivator. My combat skills are weak. Even though Iâve broken through to Stage Four of body cultivation, I probably donât stand much chance against others in the same realmâŠ"
Wei Tu said in a serious tone.
"ThisâŠ" Nangong Zhe frowned slightly. He remembered that earlier, Wei Tu didnât show any rejection on his face.
Why was he backing down now that it was time to give an answer?
"But, if Guild Master Nangong is willing to provide⊠some spirit crystals, then I might consider taking this risky job."
Wei Tu licked his lips, putting on the look of someone purely talking business.
As soon as he finished speaking, Nangong Zheâs frown disappeared and a faint smile appeared on his face.
He finally realized that the issue wasnât Wei Tuâs reluctance, but that they hadnât negotiated the price.
Among the four worldly desiresâfame, profit, power, and lustâwhat the Blood Flood Dragon Merchant Guild lacked least was money.
Spirit crystals were rare treasures, but with the guildâs resources, they could easily satisfy one cultivatorâs greed.
"Besides, compared to sentimental types, those driven by profit are easier to win over," Nangong Zhe thought.
The matter on Futao Island was only a major problem for the guildânot for the Imperial Princess.
His request for Wei Tu to act was mostly to test his nature. If he could gauge his character and draw him in, then he could earn Wei Tuâs loyalty.
Now, with just a few exchanges, he had figured out Wei Tuâs true nature. How could he not be pleased?
'But I wonder if this guy is lustful too?'
Nangong Zhe mused.
Generally, Nascent Soul cultivators had strong resistance to temptation.
But he felt that Wei Tu might be an exceptionâhis age was too young.
At this age, to already have both a physical and spiritual Nascent Soul, there was a high chance he had never experienced women.
After all, if someone indulged in pleasures, there was no way they could reach this level in just a few hundred years.
Most likely, over 90% of Wei Tuâs life had been spent in cultivation.
Of course, Nangong Zhe wasnât foolish enough to directly ask Wei Tu about this. He planned to test him more subtly in the future. If things lined up, heâd cater to that preference.
Nextâ
Nangong Zhe didnât hesitate any further and began discussing the price for Wei Tuâs help.
"Three spirit crystals at most!"
"Once you actually face the Spider Heart Sect cultivators, weâll evaluate the difficulty and adjust the pay."
After a short negotiation, Nangong Zhe stuck to that number and didnât budge.
He knew that constantly yielding to Wei Tu wouldnât earn much gratitude from someone this greedy.
What he needed was to lock Wei Tu down with benefit after benefit, binding him firmly to the guild.
"Three spirit crystals?"
Wei Tu frowned when he heard it. After thinking it over for a moment, he felt the price was already pretty decent, so he nodded and agreed.