Jiang He was sitting on the deck of the Thunder Talisman Daoist's mystic s.h.i.+p.

He started cultivating by turning on his System and spending his Farm Points.

Right now, he had mastered the third tier of the Nine Heavenly Stars Body Formula and his physique could match a full-fledged True Child cultivator. His qi is so overwhelmingly powerful that a raw-red mist swirls around him once it circulated, just as a scarlet radiance shot up from his head like a beacon.

[Ding!]

[+3 million Farm Points.]

[Congratulations, Host. You have mastered the fourth fold of the Nine Heavenly Stars Body Formula.]

A System Notification jingled crisply and mechanically in his mind then, and at the very next moment, Jiang He's qi erupted with a rumble, just as his physique improved to full-fledged Yuan Spirit.

“Keep going, System!”

“Fifth and sixth fold of the Nine Heavenly Star Body Formula!”

Boom!

Jiang He's qi and blood stirred. At the same time, his bone, muscles, and skin rapidly strengthened from full-fledged Yuan Spirit to full-fledged Convergence… until the sound of thunder cracked over the night sky.

At the same time, the Thunder Talisman Daoist recovered from his shock and stared wide-eyed at Jiang He as if he was a monster…

Did he just reach Sufferance?

As if it could not be simpler?

Wasn't cultivating physique supposed to be more difficult than cultivating qi?

So why did Jiang He make it look as simple as eating or drinking… No, not even eating and drinking is that simple! You would have to chew to eat and a meal would take at least a dozen minutes, wouldn't it?

How long did it even take him to cultivate his physique from full full-fledged True Child to Sufferance?

Not even five minutes!

Up in the skies, thunderclouds of retribution gathered.

Terrible bolts were flas.h.i.+ng within, and just like the last time, the thunderclouds spanned more than five hundred kilometers… and at this very moment, every living being within range could feel the horrifying pressure of the heavenly retribution.

Standing at the center of the thunderclouds, the Thunder Talisman Daoist felt as if he was being stared at directly.

He could even feel a vague power locking on to him.

“Oh no…”

“My…”

“My own thunderbolts of retribution are coming too!”

The Thunder Talisman Daoist went pale.

He had been so shocked he forgot about this part, but it was already too late for him to run—as such, he took out several talismans and invoked his flying sword, ready to weather his retribution

That was when Jiang He, still sitting on the deck, slowly rose to his feet.

The aura on his body was still expanding rapidly.

When he turned and found the Thunder Talisman Daoist looking ready to weather the retribution even if it killed him, he asked in surprise, “What are you doing, Brother?”

“Sufferance!”

That was all the Thunder Talisman Daoist answered as he began to inscribe symbols and arrays on the deck. There would be a little time before the first bolts descended after the thunderclouds gathered, and he must prepare however he could.

Jiang He, however, appeared taken aback. “Is there a need to go through such lengths? It's just Sufferance.”

On the other hand, the Thunder Talisman Daoist had already set up his array and taken out several spirit stones to recover his mystic energies. Then, he bit the tip of his tongue and spat his blood essence on the array, and the array shone all at once, s.h.i.+elding his body.

He could still feel the expanding aura from Jiang He's body and could not help exclaiming, “Please stop cultivating right now, Brother Jiang He, or the thundercloud would be dished out according to your cultivation level.”

“Is that how it works?”

Jiang He's interest was piqued then.

He looked up at the skies above.

The first bolt would probably strike in three minutes. Moreover, after his body and qi had strengthened up to the Nine Heavenly Star Body Formula, it would automatically cultivate up to full-fledged Sufferance as well. There was no need to worry…

As such, he took out a handful of sunflower seeds and munched on them calmly beneath the thunderclouds stretching over hundreds of miles. “Is Sufferance that specific, Thunder Talisman Daoist? You should teach it to everyone else—I hadn't heard about the details you've mentioned on my own Sufferance, so I had to simply cut down the thunderclouds since I was pressed for time. You are an immortal sect elite too, so would you happen to know why I have to go through retribution twice, once for cultivation and now for physique?”

Thunder Talisman Daoist was dumbstruck.

He opened his mouth, but was unsure how to answer just then.

Three minutes soon pa.s.sed.

Boom-crack.

A thick violet bolt descended from the skies but soon split in two: One shot toward Jiang He while the other at the Thunder Talisman Daoist. The latter promptly charged his mystic treasure to repel it when he saw Jiang He taking to the skies, streaking towards both thunderbolts.

He had reached out with both hands and actually caught the bolts.

His mystic energies circulated as he qi erupted, and…

Bang!

Both thunderbolts were crushed in Jiang He's grasp.

The mystic treasure of the Thunder Talisman Daoist lost its target and was left flailing around wildly up in the air. At the same time, Jiang He did a double take before descending, scratching the back of his head as he asked in embarra.s.sment, “Daoist, you said that the thunderbolts of retribution can be captured through refinement, but how, specifically? I somehow crushed the thunderbolts when I grabbed them… is that supposed to happen?”

The Thunder Talisman Daoist's mouth was hanging open. He felt his throat drying up and he was unable to say a thing.

Could thunderbolts be crushed?

Who am I supposed to ask if you ask me?

To tell the truth, the Thunder Talisman Daoist really did not expect that to happen… since no person had ever attempted this before! Most importantly, not only did this kid crush his own thunderbolt of retribution, but he also crushed the Daoist's too.

If Jiang He were to also crush the other thunderbolts that would come later, would the Daoist not be able to reach seven retribution without getting in harm's way?

“What's on your mind?”

Jiang He could not help asking as he stared at the Thunder Talisman Daoist.

What was this fella's deal?

That Daoist was scowling as if his parents had just been killed just a moment ago, and he was now beside himself in joy?

Hence, Jiang He promptly pressed him, “Daoist, hurry up and tell me how I'm supposed to refine the thunderbolts specifically. I'll collect them and then destroy the thunderclouds before going off to sleep… what time is it already? I have not slept soundly for a long time.”

As such, the Thunder Talisman Daoist quickly told Jiang He about the method of refining of the thunderbolts of retribution.

Jiang He realized with a start at that and exclaimed, “I see, so refining the thunderbolts of retribution should be accomplished with my will and not brute strength, yes?”

When the Thunder Talisman Daoist nodded, Jiang He said, “Very well, Daoist. Take a break here—I'll be right back.”

Whoos.h.!.+

Jiang He took to the skies and directly entered the rolling thunderclouds, which churned violently right then.

When the Thunder Talisman Daoist looked up, he could glimpse a figure weaving in and out through the thunderbolts from time to time, and the power of the thunderbolts were quickly weakening as time pa.s.sed.

“What the h.e.l.l!”

The Thunder Talisman Daoist was stunned.

Jiang He was so ruthless!

When it comes to Sufferance, others would weather through their retributions one by one, while Jiang He took it all at once… Likewise, while others would be incredibly cautious when they tried to catch thunderbolts and only capture a faint fragment of the energy dispersing away when it descended, Jiang He charged headlong inside the thundercloud, subjugating it and refining it.

Most importantly, at the rate of how quick the bolts in the thunderclouds were weakening…

It was obvious that Jiang He was rapidly refining and capturing each thunderbolt.

Hence, around forty minutes later, the five-hundred-kilometer thundercloud up in the skies was almost dried up. After that, it remained for a long while… before dispersing reluctantly.

Jiang He descended from the skies above, holding a bundle of thunderbolts in each hand as he called out, “Hurry up and bring out your containers, Thunder Talisman Daoist. Every porcelain tool I have to carry the thunderbolts are full and can't carry anymore.”

The Thunder Talisman Daoist stiffly took out two containers to collect the thunderbolts before Jiang He took out a whole stack of bottles and cans, which he shoved at once into his hands. There were actually sparks swirling out of some of the containers, and they clearly were holding thunderbolts of frightening force.

“There are around forty thunderbolts of retribution here, Daoist, so you could take them to craft the Nine Retribution Talismans… I'll leave you to it, since I have to get rid of the other thunderbolts at my own house right now.”

Jiang He sneaked back into his own yard in a flash and headed straight inside his farm.

He took out forty more bottles and cans with a turn of his hand, each of which stored heavenly thunderbolts as well.

He had collected a total of eighty bolts.

He was left with forty after he gave the other half to the Thunder Talisman Daoist, and was going to attempt planting the heavenly thunderbolts… if it could, what novelty would grow out?

Hole dug; thunderbolt planted.

To ensure that the thunderbolts would grow fertilely, Jiang He gritted his teeth and redeemed forty packs of Mysterious Soil.

And everything was done, he dusted some dirt he inadvertently got in his hands and sighed. “I hope I won't be disappointed… I did exert great effort to capture these thunderbolts after all, and even