Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8561 8561: Tribulation (1)

Daily life for the cultivators on Ghost Bone Island generally followed a stagnant pattern. Lately, however, a fresh topic of conversation had swept through their ranks: the total annihilation of the Tang family. To the Yin Yang Sect, one of the nine preeminent sects, this served as a stinging slap to the face. Rarely did such a scandal occur. When the Yin Yang Sect had previously suffered at the hands of the Ghostwind bandits, the local cultivators had been quick to offer biting sarcasms and mockery. One had to wonder how they would handle being the target of such shame themselves.

Disciples across Ghost Bone Island busied themselves with gossip regarding the matter. Given the immense influence of the nine great sects, few dared to openly treat such an incident as a slight. Even the long-fallen Blood Slaughter Sect remained a cautionary tale—a force so formidable that its downfall required the intervention of powerful entities from the upper realm. In truth, the Blood Slaughter Sect had likely been even more potent than the Dark Ghost Sect itself, had anyone bothered to calculate their true metrics.

The Yin Yang Sect shared a comparable level of overall strength. Thus, witnessing their humiliation provided the Ghost Bone Island residents with a rare entertainment, leading to endless speculation about who had orchestrated the strike. For those trapped in the grueling, repetitive cycle of cultivation and mission-taking, a bit of excitement was a welcome distraction.

Suddenly, a massive, ink-colored cloud billowed over Ghost Bone Island, plunging the disciples into confusion. Many cast bewildered glances toward the heavens, some staggering to their feet in alarm while others took flight to gain a better vantage point.

As the dark clouds condensed, a terrifying pressure descended, chilling the hearts of every cultivator on the island. The rising unease became palpable, prompting many disciples to contemplate a hasty retreat from the island entirely.

Unexpectedly, a booming voice cut through the air: "Calm yourselves! This is merely a heavenly Tribulation. One of our own is advancing to the level of an Island Lord. Disciples are strictly forbidden from moving. Return to your quarters and remain still. If you wish to witness this crossing, keep silent and stay put, lest you disturb the process!" The resonance of the voice reached every soul on the island. After the initial shock, an atmosphere of intense excitement took hold. Witnessing a cultivator undergo the heavenly Tribulation to become an Island Lord was a rare spectacle, and instead of retreating, the disciples crowded together, faces bright with curiosity.

Although these practitioners had only heard of the heavenly Tribulation in myths, they were aware that the process posed no threat to spectators. Driven by the hope that watching this phenomenon might grant them insights into their own cultivation, they watched on, transfixed.

Outside the residence of Yu Qing, a small assembly had gathered. At their head stood an elderly man possessing white eyebrows and a matching beard, his gaze fixed critically on the courtyard. "That Yu Qing has reached the level of an Island Lord is beyond my reckoning," he muttered, frowning. "He was once a promising disciple of my sect, but after some hidden trauma, he spiraled into a state of deep despair. I had long abandoned the hope that he would ever reach this stage. It is truly astonishing. Does anyone here understand what he has endured recently?”

Beside him, two other Island Lord level experts stood alongside several practitioners of the refinement realm. All were quite advanced in years, yet they watched the courtyard with undisguised envy, shaking their heads in response to the elder's query.

The old man was none other than Gu Ming, master of Ghost Bone Island. A pinnacle expert, his unique technique mimicked body cultivation yet surpassed it; he forged a suit of bone armor from his own body, and once perfected, each plating could summon a fierce ghost to amplify his combat prowess. With this ability, Gu Ming had carved out a path of supremacy with few equals.

The gathered cultivators were his own disciples. Among his twenty-five initiates, seven had perished, two had ascended to become independent Island Lords who helped establish the island’s foundation, and the remainder were still honing their path in the Dharma cultivation realm, a group that had included Yu Qing.

Within the Dark Ghost Sect, the rules regarding one’s appearance were loose. Once a cultivator reached the status of an Island Lord, they were no longer bound to conceal their features. However, most pupils of the sect practiced ghost-based arts which, while powerful, left them with ghastly, distorted visages that necessitated masking. Upon achieving the status of Island Lord and surviving the heavenly Tribulation, the adept could focus their power into a divine spark, restoring their original form. This was why Gu Ming, standing exposed, appeared less like a malevolent expert and more like a venerable, sage-like figure.

Gu Ming turned his gaze back to the courtyard, his voice grave. "His initial decline was a mystery to me. He entered seclusion and emerged a broken man, his vitality draining away as if he had lost all ambition. That he should suddenly breakthrough now suggests a hidden variable. Once the tribulation concludes, I shall demand the truth."

The others echoed his sentiments but remained silent, waiting. The heavenly Tribulation soon commenced. A flash of lightning descended, striking the residence, yet the building remained unscathed; the energy behaved like a phantom, focusing entirely on Yu Qing.

The lightning phase ceded to fire, then wind. As the final gale vanished, the clouds dissipated, revealing a clear sky. Yu Qing emerged from his room, immediately spotting Gu Ming and the others. He hurried forward, dropping to his knees. "Disciple Yu Qing greets Master."

Gu Ming gestured for him to rise, his tone stern. "To cross the heavenly Tribulation and attain the level of an Island Lord is a grand achievement. Yet, there are questions that must be answered. Let us convene inside." With a wave, he led the way into the living quarters, followed by the silent group.

Once seated, Gu Ming fixed Yu Qing with an intense stare. "How did you manage this breakthrough? And what was behind those years of despondency, the slow rot of your vitality? You acted as if your goals were dead, yet today you stand as an Island Lord. Speak plainly. If you lie to me, your new station will not save you from my wrath."

Yu Qing prostrated himself instantly. "I dare not deceive you, Master. I was born into the Yu family of the Yin Yang Sect, sent to the Dark Ghost Sect to infiltrate and learn their arts. But after I became a deep-seated disciple here, the Tang family conspired with elders of the Yin Yang Sect to butcher my kin. I was overwhelmed by grief and powerlessness, which led to my decline. Only recently, upon hearing of the Tang family's ruin, was my inner demon excised, allowing me to reach this level. Every word is the truth. I implore you to investigate!"

Yu Qing had settled on honesty. His kin were victims of the Yin Yang Sect, making him their natural enemy, and thus safe within the Dark Ghost Sect. Spy work between sects was standard practice; Gu Ming would find this revelation expected. To lie, however, would be a fatal error.

Gu Ming listened, stunned, then offered a slow nod of understanding. "So that is the truth. Your spiral began exactly when your house fell. I never suspected your lineage. You may stand." Yu Qing complied.

Gu Ming looked him over. "As an Island Lord, you have the right to claim your own domain. Will you establish your seat here on Ghost Bone Island, or do you intend to strike out on your own?" The question was a test. Yu Qing knew his senior brothers who had reached this level maintained their bases on the island; to leave would be seen as an act of defiance, yet staying would bind him further.

Though he desired an independent island to better maneuver his plans, triggering Gu Ming's ire would brand him a traitor to his master and the Dark Ghost Sect—a fate he could not risk. Gritting his teeth, he bowed his head. "I shall establish my base here on Ghost Bone Island!"