"I can’t say if my guess is correct, but where there are gains, there are also losses. For every good, there is also a bad. Breaking through with the Wordless Heavenly Book may not trigger the most powerful tribulation, but it might also be the one that threatens to take the most. Everything depends on how he sees it."
The group started discussing the breakthrough among themselves.
Gradually, shadows started to appear outside True God's Heaven-Transforming Technique.
Lu Yin saw the shadows. Was it a parallel universe? Could this tribulation be similar to what he had faced when breaking through with Dust World? That should be impossible. The two inner worlds were completely different, so how could they trigger the same tribulation?
The truth was that, aside from the Origin Universe, most parallel universes did not cast down tribulations when creatures became peak powerhouses. Lu Yin was not following the path of stellular energy, which meant that there was no guaranteed chance that he would trigger a tribulation, even in the Origin Universe. However, he was creating his own path, and any who attempted to do that would trigger a tribulation.
The more unique one’s path, the more difficult the tribulation they would trigger.
Lu Yin looked at the shadows outside of the barrier sealing off the Scourges. "Come! The greater my tribulation, the better! Hopefully, this will be able to break this Heaven-Transforming Technique."
Gradually, the shadows grew clearer.
Lu Yin's eyes went wide. Was that… the Fifth Mainland?
Lu Yin was not alone, as Lu Yuan and the others were able to see the same thing. It was not just a parallel universe that had appeared, but rather the Fifth Mainland itself. As it drew closer, it disappeared, and instead, the images of countless people living their lives played out, unaware of Lu Yin and the others observing them.
The images were just illusions. They were images, though it was possible that these scenes were actually playing out somewhere in the Fifth Mainland right now.
Golden light was still shining down upon Lu Yin’s face, but as the images grew clearer, he saw something different.
He saw scenes demonstrating the worst aspects of humanity. These were things that only happened in the darkest corners of existence.
"Child, do it now! Kill him! We’ll get his cultivation method."
"But, father, he’s a good man! He saved me."
"There are no good people. Do it now! Kill him! Kill him!"
…
"My lord, I am innocent! I did not kill this family. Please, my lord, look into this matter carefully."
"Heh, if I say you’re guilty, then you are. There are no other possibilities. Begging won’t help you, unless…"
"Unless what?"
"Unless you can afford to buy your life."
"My lord, I have an eighty-year-old mother, as well as children I need to feed. Where would I get so much money?"
"Then you’re guilty. Drag him out and behead him."
"My lord, please! I beg you! Investigate further, my lord!"
"Master Hui, well done."
"Don’t worry, young master. Only heaven, earth, you, and I know of this matter."
"Heh, I won’t mistreat you. Looking back, that young lady was really tempting. We killed her too soon."
"Young master, I know of another family with an even more enticing young lady."
"Really? In that case, show me quickly. Rest assured, I won't treat you unfairly."
"Please, my lord."
…
"Welcome back from seclusion, Master."
"I’ve been in seclusion for thirteen years. This must have been hard on you, my disciples."
"In order to serve you, Master, we would gladly die a thousand deaths."
"Hmm, since that’s the case, I have one final task for you to complete."
"Please tell us, Master."
"Give yourselves to me as a blood sacrifice."
"Master! Master, spare my life! I don't want to die!"
"Master, it's me, Hong'er! Master-"
"I don’t have a choice. My cultivation deviated while in seclusion, and only by sacrificing your blood can I hope to restore my strength. Rest in peace, as 99,999 of you should be enough. Sigh, now I need to recruit more disciples. Such a hassle." �
…
Voices echoed in Lu Yin's ears. He heard all of them as he witnessed the worst of humanity’s ugliness. Gradually, the golden light that shone on his face started to dim.
Lu Yuan and the others were all watching intently. How could this be happening?
Wu Tian's expression grew grave. "As expected, this is a Heart Refinement. The mortal world is full of both good and evil. Being acknowledged by a universe means that the desires of all creatures can serve as his strength, but there is also a dark side to this. It is necessary to carry both the good and the evil."
Lu Yuan and the others only saw shadows, but Lu Yin was witnessing brutal, evil scenes. He saw the full extent of human nature’s corruption, complete immorality. Darkness flooded his mind, replacing his thoughts. The golden light that had once warmly shone on him grew dim and dark. It looked cold and lonely.
Worse and worse scenes filled Lu Yin’s vision, blocking out all of the light. He could only see eyes that were filled with resentment and hatred. He seemed to see arms covered with blood that reached out for him. He struggled to breathe.
"I hate this! Why kill me? I saved him. People shouldn't be like this! They shouldn't be like this!"
"I have an elderly mother, a wife, and children. How can I die? I didn’t kill that family. How can I bear this guilt? How will my mother and wife handle this?"
"Master, we treated you as our father and mother. Why do this?"
"I hate this! Is this what human nature truly is?"