Sufferance-tier was divided to nine tiers of retribution. The next thunderbolt would strike even if one was not confident in surviving it, or even if one did not draw it to themselves on their own. Indeed, even if one were to maintain their current Sufferance-tier for a hundred years, the heavens would unleash their retribution regardless.
Of course, rarely would there be those who draw heavenly retribution on their own will.
Almost all elites suffering through retributions would keep cultivating and improving themselves, dragging things out up to a hundred years before suffering another retribution, which improved their chances of survival by a major extent.
As for the Hermit of Forgotten Love, the last time he had suffered retribution was twenty-three years ago.
