The City of Arcane,
Within a crystal castle,
"Is the source reliable?"
A middle-aged man with an eagle perched on his shoulder frowned as he looked at the one-eyed giant kneeling before him.
"My subordinates saw it with their own eyes. This person named Ye Feng possesses the Golden Medal that the Flame Ranger once held!"
As he spoke, the one-eyed giant took out a piece of paper from his embrace, which bore a lifelike portrait of Ye Feng.
...
Meanwhile,
Ye Feng, having just finished a hearty meal, was leisurely resting under the army-green canopy. Xiao Xiao was painting a landscape, while Qiao Ying was examining an unknown white flower...
"Converging paths... According to Shen Botian's explanation, Arcane Energy absorbs the power of heaven and earth, undergoes a change, and becomes a new form of power!"
"This power is called True Force!"
"The reason cultivators are powerful is due to this True Force, and cultivation is achieved by absorbing the power of heaven and earth, continuously tempering one's Arcane Energy, causing it to transform into True Force..."
Ye Feng pondered Mist Night Lan's explanation of Arcane Energy and True Force, recalling Shen Botian's explanation of True Force in Mech City.
"Huh? What's going on?"
Suddenly, Ye Feng frowned.
He had just sensed the power within him and discovered that his True Force had vanished, leaving only Arcane Energy...
"What the heck? It was fine yesterday!"
Ye Feng muttered, checking himself again.
After a while, Ye Feng's brows furrowed tightly, as he was certain his True Force had disappeared.
Immediately, Ye Feng began to practice the peculiar movements he had obtained when he was promoted to the Gold rank.
"Hum!"
The Arcane Energy that was faintly glowing white in Ye Feng's hands, as he moved, suddenly transformed into True Force. And not just ordinary True Force, but the kind that could penetrate spatial barriers!
"Damn... My True Force has leveled up?"
Ye Feng continued to practice, somewhat bewildered.
...
Ten minutes later,
Ye Feng, a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, sat back in his rattan chair. He found that the ordinary True Force within him, as well as the peculiar True Force capable of penetrating spatial barriers, had indeed disappeared.
However, he realized that by combining the peculiar movements with his combat, his Arcane Energy could instantly transform into the peculiar True Force that could penetrate spatial barriers!
"Although I don't know why, this is better. Otherwise, having three forces within me... it always felt a bit strange..."
"Uh, no, if you count the Tribulation Fire, that would be four forces... Now, with only Arcane Energy and Tribulation Fire, it's quite good!~"
Ye Feng mused and muttered.
"Ye Feng, it seems both your True Force and Arcane Energy have undergone changes!"
At this moment, Qiao Ying walked over and spoke.
"Mhm! My True Force has indeed changed!~ Wait a moment..."
Ye Feng looked at Qiao Ying with some confusion. "Qiao Ying, you're saying my Arcane Energy has also changed?"
"Yes!"
Qiao Ying nodded. "From the fluctuations emanating from your Arcane Energy as you were practicing just now, there have indeed been some subtle changes... The aura is more restrained..."
"Is that so~ It doesn't seem to make much difference..."
Ye Feng looked at the Arcane Energy glowing with a faint white light in his hand and scratched his head.
"Um... Ye Feng, do you know how to cultivate the Tribulation Fire within you?"
At this point, Qiao Ying spoke again. "Ye Feng, this Tribulation Fire, a power of heavenly punishment... even divine servants, divine envoys... and even true gods dare not resist it head-on..."
"I'm also a bit confused about this Tribulation Fire... It seems to have inexplicably appeared within me after I was burned by the Tribulation Fire in the Giant Ruins... Huh?"
As he was speaking, a flash of inspiration struck Ye Feng.
He recalled the possibility that the trace of peculiar aura he sensed from the Tribulation Fire when he was on the verge of passing out might be the key...
It was precisely because he sensed that trace of peculiar aura that the pain of being burned by the Tribulation Fire rapidly lessened, and he even fell asleep comfortably... When he woke up, the wounds that had burned down to his bones from the Tribulation Fire had healed...
"Recalling... after Tang Dao dragged me into Mist Night Lan's burning Tribulation Fire, the Tribulation Fire within me increased by a tiny bit..."
Ye Feng muttered, and a thought that even surprised himself popped into his mind, "Could cultivating Tribulation Fire... require going into Tribulation Fire?"
Soon, Ye Feng felt a bit discouraged, because even if what he thought was correct, it would be difficult to put into practice. After all, the Tribulation Fire of a heavenly tribulation wasn't like cabbage, easily found.
If one had to be on the level of Mist Night Lan... that would be impossible...
...
A few days later, at noon,
"Thirty years of experience as a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, ancestral techniques for passing through Tribulation Fire..."
"Ye Feng, are you sure you want to erect a banner like this?"
Although Ye Feng had told her about the possible method of cultivating Tribulation Fire before, Qiao Ying was still speechless when she saw a banner fluttering in the wind hanging from the roof of the Hummer.
"Mhm!"
Ye Feng nodded, started the Hummer, and said, "Get in!~"
...
In the evening,
"Big Brother, there are people ahead!"
Xiao Xiao pointed to the front, where cars were driving in twos and threes, and people were setting up camp. It was a group of explorers.
"Whoosh~ Crack!~"
Ye Feng drove to the surrounding cars and campsites and stopped.
"Thirty years of experience as a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, ancestral techniques for passing through Tribulation Fire... Buddy, what kind of gibberish is written on your banner?"
A lean young man with a buzz cut, who was closest to the Hummer, lit his last cigarette, tossed the cigarette pack into the fire, and shouted at Ye Feng.
"Oh, it's about helping people pass through the Tribulation Fire of heavenly tribulations, guaranteeing a three-layer increase in success rate, with favorable prices. If you fail, you get a full refund and an additional one thousand Arcane Yuan Coins!"
Ye Feng was not surprised by the lean young man's confusion. He quickly replied to him.
"Holy crap, is that true?"
"If you fail, not only do you get a full refund, but you also get an extra thousand Arcane Yuan Coins?"
"You're lying, right?"
...
Although Ye Feng's voice was not particularly loud, it carried far. Many explorers heard him clearly and gathered around.
"Buddy, what is this Tribulation Fire of heavenly tribulations you're talking about?"
The lean young man took a puff of his cigarette, exhaled a smoke ring, and asked.
"Oh, it's something you encounter when you cultivate to a certain level. It's quite dangerous... Those who understand will understand..."
Ye Feng did not elaborate. A light flashed in his hand, and an Arcane Yuan Coin was instantly thrown towards the lean young man. "Help me spread this message, and that Arcane Yuan Coin is your payment!"
"Big Brother, there are zombies in that direction!"
At this moment, Xiao Xiao, who was standing on the roof of the Hummer and observing with binoculars, spoke to Ye Feng.
...