The phantom of the Wordless Jade Wall stood several rods high. Not only those on the mountain, but even the cultivators speeding over through the air could see the trace carved out when the phantom raised its hand.
The Dao trace vanished in an instant.
A great commotion broke out.
At this moment, countless people wrung their hands and sighed, wishing they could fly straight onto Dishou Mountain.
The Dao trace had lasted for far too brief a moment and had been subject to various disturbances. They had gained next to nothing, yet they could tell that the trace was extraordinary and suffused with Dao charm, leaving them to look up to the sky and sigh.
When Daoist Zilei took his nine steps to the pinnacle and summoned down the heavenly tribulation, these emotions were driven to their peak.
This was a Dao trace that could help someone break through the Deity Transformation barrier!
"The Deity Transformation Heavenly Tribulation!"
"Someone is breaking through!"
...
The crowd showed varied expressions, their feelings tangled.
Almost everyone present was witnessing a Deity Transformation Heavenly Tribulation with their own eyes for the first time.
Far in the distance, dark clouds capped Dishou Mountain. Soon, brilliantly colored clouds and mists descended one after another, encircling Dishou Mountain into a continuous expanse.
The winds and clouds shifted abruptly!
A terrifying pressure descended, causing all the cultivators within the Wuxiang Immortal Sect to pale as tremors of dread seized their hearts.
They had personally experienced this feeling during their Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulations, but how could a Nascent Soul tribulation ever compare to a Deity Transformation tribulation?
Surging waves of clouds billowed over Dishou Mountain, the colored mists churning in chaos.
In a split second, a tempest took shape.
Wind and thunder intertwined!
This was a terrifying storm bearing the wrath of heaven and earth.
At this moment, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth was mobilized by an inexplicable force, setting the entire ancient abode trembling.
A spiritual tide surged abruptly, visible to the naked eye.
During a Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation, one could still see the spiritual energy being stirred gradually from near to far, forming distinctly layered tides of spiritual energy. Now, it was no longer so distinct; the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was mobilized all at once, practically forming an ocean of spiritual energy suspended high in the air.
The spiritual tide raised towering waves, releasing earth-shattering roars. Then the tide pressed horizontally forward, bearing down like a collapsing mountain, crushing everything in its path. The figure suspended in the sky above Dishou Mountain stood at the very center of this spiritual tide, finally submerged!
Seeing such a scene, terror gripped everyone's heart.
Without even waiting for the heavenly tribulation itself, had it been them, the initial impact of the spiritual tide would have already injured them. Those of weaker cultivation might have been pulverized on the spot.
Cries of shock rang out, yet they were cut short by what followed.
The center of the spiritual tide warped in an inexplicable manner, rapidly affecting its surroundings. A familiar fluctuation radiated outward, evoking painful memories in every cultivator who had undergone the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation.
"It's the yin fire!"
"The heavenly tribulation has arrived!"
...
Invisible yin fire rained down from the heavens.
Outwardly, the Deity Transformation Heavenly Tribulation seemed little different from the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation—both involved the heaven-sent three disasters followed by the heart demon tribulation. Yet their power could not be mentioned in the same breath. If one were tainted by this yin fire, they would be reduced to ash from the inside out in the blink of an eye.
Under the crushing pressure of the heavenly tribulation, the cultivators collectively fell silent, holding their breath. Even those with the fastest flying speeds who had nearly reached Dishou Mountain unconsciously slowed down, not daring to draw too close.
The impact of the Deity Transformation Heavenly Tribulation went beyond this.
Although the abnormal phenomena within the ancient abode were veiled by Dishou Mountain's protective sect formation, astronomical phenomena still manifested more or less over the Taiyue Mountain Range outside.
What was more, because the heaven-and-earth primordial energy mobilized by the Deity Transformation Heavenly Tribulation was so vast, the resulting fluctuations propagated to even more distant regions, detected by discerning individuals.
Northwest of the Taiyue Mountain Range.
The river waters had carved out valleys amidst the towering, precipitous ridges.
Sheer cliffs rose on either bank of the valley, and the river rushed violently. From time to time, one could see clusters of toxic miasma sealing off broad stretches of the riverways, never dispersing throughout the year.
At this moment, several streaks of light were speeding above this valley, their direction clearly bound for the Taiyue Mountain Range as well.
Lately, similar sights had been playing out constantly across the two southern barbarian provinces. As news of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect's emergence spread, countless cultivators had been drawn here in search of treasure.
"A heavenly tribulation!"
The foremost streak of light suddenly halted, revealing the figure of an old monk.
The old monk possessed white brows and a white beard, his countenance benevolent and gentle. One could tell at a glance that he was an eminent monk of high attainment, yet he bore no overbearing fluctuations. Any of the figures behind him looked more like an expert than he did.
Another streak of light flying alongside the old monk also came to a stop, revealing an alluring, seductive woman.
The two were none other than Saint Huiguang and Saint King Qinghu, who had rushed over upon hearing the news.
Saint King Qinghu diverted a wisp of her divine sense to perceive the fluctuation for a moment, then broke into a radiant smile. "It's a Deity Transformation Heavenly Tribulation!"
Her voice was tinged with mirth, as if reveling in someone else's misfortune. She cast an amused glance at Saint Huiguang. "Old monk, you had the ambition to sweep them all up in one net. Never expected someone would break through on the eve of battle, did you?"
They had been far away in Jinyu Province and had received the news late. No matter how fast Deity Transformation cultivators could fly, by the time they arrived, things likely would have ended. To that end, Saint Huiguang had forcibly requisitioned an ancient teleportation array controlled by Longju Grotto-heaven, shaving off some time.
Afterward, Saint Huiguang had not rushed ahead frantically, instead gathering several Nascent Soul cultivators first.
Saint King Qinghu knew Saint Huiguang's intention: he wanted to use the Wuxiang Immortal Sect to lure more fiends and monsters inside, catching them all in one fell swoop. Never had he anticipated this sudden variable.
From the direction of the fluctuations, it was certain that someone was undergoing the Deity Transformation Heavenly Tribulation inside the Wuxiang Immortal Sect!
If another Deity Transformation cultivator were to emerge, it would actually be a good thing, granting them more assistance to resist the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao.
Yet according to her and Saint Huiguang's deductions, so long as the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao was not eliminated, no matter how extraordinary a cultivator's mental fortitude in this realm might be, it was virtually impossible to survive the final heart demon tribulation.
When facing the Deity Transformation Heavenly Tribulation, a cultivator's progress through the ordeal was also a step-by-step process of comprehending and approaching the Great Dao. Once they endured the three disasters and the heart demon tribulation descended, they would already be able to perceive the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao.
At that point, both the demonic voice and the heart demon tribulation would strike at once. There was absolutely no chance of survival.
This was the decree of heaven, insurmountable by mortal effort.
Seeing Saint Huiguang's expression turn grave as never before, Saint King Qinghu knew what he was worried about—it was not fear of facing a newly risen rival.
That person was undergoing the tribulation in full view of the public. At death's door, they might very well blurt out the heavenly secret, causing the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao to be leaked in advance!
Saint Huiguang cared deeply for his sect and intended to lay out his arrangements across the world before chaos erupted, ensuring that the Ganlu Zen Monastery maintained its hegemonic position and passed down its legacy for myriad generations.
Once the news leaked, the cultivation world would be thrown into an uproar.
If the cultivators of this realm lost all hope of reaching Deity Transformation and ascending, a great upheaval would inevitably follow, reshaping the entire landscape!
Even with Saint Huiguang still around, how long could he suppress it? He would not be able to stop the dark undercurrents.
*Whoosh!*
A spiritual wind arose out of thin air.
Saint Huiguang suddenly transformed into a beam of light and shot away, leaving behind a haze of rainbow smoke that lingered for a long time. It was a remarkably profound Buddhist spiritual-light evasion art.
Saint King Qinghu chuckled softly, her figure turning smoky as she closely pursued.
The others exchanged glances, not daring to slacken, and flew with all their might.
When the only two Deity Transformation powerhouses left in this world exerted their full strength, how fast their flight was! Countless mountains and rivers were traversed in the blink of an eye, and Mount Taiyue was before them in short order.
At this moment, above the former site of the Taiyue Sect.
The vortex passage formed by the Wuxiang Immortal Sect remained in place. Figures swarmed around the vortex like ants, or like moths to a flame, throwing themselves forward heedlessly for that wisp of elusive opportunity to attain the Dao.
With the weakening of the cloud wall, the Nascent Soul cultivators had already entered the ancient abode. When new arrivals appeared occasionally, they merely had to release their aura, and the crowd would part on its own to form a path.
The Core Formation cultivators had also largely entered the passage, charging into the cloud wall in droves.
As the turbulent currents inside the passage gradually waned, Foundation Establishment cultivators began making their move, while outside, even more whose cultivation was lacking yet had lofty ambitions waited anxiously.
Saint Huiguang and Saint King Qinghu did not display their auras, slipping into the passage one after the other. The surrounding cultivators merely felt a gentle breeze brush past them, completely unaware that the powerhouses standing at the pinnacle of this realm had just brushed shoulders with them.
Confronted by the cloud wall spanning the sect entrance, Saint King Qinghu paid it no heed and charged straight in. Unexpectedly, just as she entered the cloud wall, she sensed something. Her expression shifted slightly, and her figure pivoted, altering her direction.
In the most secluded corner within the cloud wall.
A group of figures was currently traversing the area with great care.
These people wore normal clothes, but their physiques and attire were somewhat peculiar. Some were extraordinarily burly, while others were short and thin as monkeys. Most wore cloaks that covered nearly their entire bodies.
Although they were doing their utmost to restrain their auras and deliberately avoiding the crowd, several of them still possessed an indelible presence distinct from ordinary mortals—it was demonic qi!
Among this group of shapeshifting demon kings, one dressed completely differently from the rest, standing out like a crane among a flock of chickens.
This demon was tall and slender, wearing a mask that obscured his features. His striking white hair paired with a white robe gave him a rather transcendent demeanor.
His aura was also the most concealed among them, just like the green-furred rat demon who had participated in the human trade fair years ago. Even standing before human cultivators, it would be difficult to see through his demon identity.
While speeding through the cloud wall, a fish demon stepped forward and said, "Great Sage, the end of the cloud wall is not far ahead. Why not linger here for a moment and hunt a few Nascent Souls so the brothers can enjoy a feast?"
The white-robed Great Sage wore an amiable expression and smiled faintly. "You and Liyuan discovered this secret realm, promptly sent word to this king, and investigated the secrets here. For such great merit, you would be satisfied with a few Nascent Souls? If we obtain our race's treasures in the Immortal Palace, you will have first pick."
The fish demon was overjoyed.
The bird demon beside him was also thrilled.
The other demon kings looked over with envy.
Yet as they conversed, vigilance showed in their expressions. The tribulation fluctuations emanating from inside the ancient abode made them feel as though needles were pricking their backs, leaving them anxious to go in and see for themselves. If someone truly was undergoing the Deity Transformation tribulation, they might have no choice but to turn back.
Before his voice had even faded, the white-robed Great Sage abruptly raised his head, his face changing drastically.
At the same time, laughter drifted down from above. "Baixiao, you are quite bold, daring to come stir up trouble in the heart of human territory. Aren't you afraid of losing all of Mount Baiming's elite here?"
The laughter was soft, seductive, and tantalizing, yet all the demons who heard it were struck with terror.
Including the white-robed Great Sage known as Baixiao, all the demon kings bowed together and said respectfully, "Greetings, Saint King!"
The next moment, the clouds and mist before them trembled, and Saint King Qinghu manifested.
Sensing the Saint King's gaze, Baixiao's heart skipped a beat, and he hastily explained, "Reporting to the Saint King, the Saint King Palace spread rumors that you had gone missing. Subordinate was worried..."
Before he could finish, Saint King Qinghu cut him off with an impatient wave of her hand. "This is the ruins of a human sect, crawling with human experts. What are you doing in here?"
Baixiao knew the Saint King's temper well and did not dare ask where she had been all this time. He fell silent at once, glanced at the fish demon, and recounted the truth, "When this ancient abode opened, several of subordinate's subordinates happened to be nearby. In the chaos, they captured a few human cultivators and interrogated them, learning that this abode was once the mountain gate of a top-tier human sect. That sect was connected to the legendary South Sea Immortal Palace, and there might be a passage leading into it."
The demon race was not short on legends regarding the South Sea Immortal Palace.
However, the Immortal Palace was located in the South Sea, controlled by humanity, far beyond the reach of the demon race.
Only the demon race's Deity Transformation powerhouses had the chance to be invited into the Immortal Palace. Learning of the connection between the Wuxiang Immortal Sect and the South Sea Immortal Palace, Baixiao had been sorely tempted.
Out of caution, they had waited until the human experts had mostly entered before making their move.
The Immortal Palace was vast and heavily warded. Once inside, they would have no fear of human encirclement.
"The Immortal Palace."
Saint King Qinghu gave a chuckle, her laugh carrying a tone that Baixiao and the other demons could not decipher.
"You won't be going to the Immortal Palace, but this king happens to be short on hands. Come with me."
With that, Saint King Qinghu turned and flew toward the Wuxiang Immortal Sect.
The demons exchanged glances, all somewhat surprised, but none dared disobey her orders and hurriedly followed.
"It really is a Deity Transformation tribulation..."
Passing through the cloud wall and entering the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, even someone of Baixiao's high cultivation was incomparably shaken upon seeing the sight toward Dishou Mountain.
*Rumble...*
Deep within the ancient abode, thunder roared to shake the heavens.
Dark clouds blotted out the sky, accompanied by tens of thousands of lightning bolts and rain-like thunder strikes.
Not only was it the Deity Transformation Heavenly Tribulation, but the cultivator had already successfully weathered the yin fire and bifeng wind. Judging from the tribulation's momentum from afar, this final disaster was likely soon to end.
"This..."
Demon King Baixiao looked at Saint King Qinghu's back, hesitating to speak.
They were about to witness with their own eyes the birth of another Deity Transformation cultivator among humanity!
Saint King Qinghu led her subordinates down onto a mountain peak where Saint Huiguang was already standing, gazing into the distance. Seeing the old monk, the demons went completely silent, terrified into quiet submission.
"It is Zilei," Saint Huiguang sighed deeply. "This child possesses supreme talent. True Monarch Danyu once remarked that looking across all the successive True Monarchs of Bajing Abbey, he could easily rank among the top three. He should have soared straight up into the nine heavens..."
Looking at the figure within the tribulation thunder, Saint King Qinghu also reined in her smile, her expression solemn.
It had nothing to do with anything else; it was respect for a fellow traveler on the Dao, and regret.
With a flicker, Saint Huiguang vanished. Saint King Qinghu swept up the demons as well and flew high into the sky, speeding toward Dishou Mountain through the flight-restricting wards and the sword array.
...
On Dishou Mountain.
Daoist Zilei wore a thunder robe, the Bajing Palace Lantern suspended above his head, with the Purple Thunder Retainers guarding his flanks.
As the heavenly thunder crashed down, turning his surroundings into an endless domain of lightning, he remained unperturbed.
The palace lantern's illusion unfolded across the void, displaying all its divine abilities. Having weathered three disasters in succession, his momentum was like a rainbow, showing no signs of weakness.
...
While the person on the mountain underwent his tribulation, those below fought to cross their own threshold.
Zhu Wudao suddenly yanked the idol back before him.
As the chains pulled taut, the Demon Son was dragged out.
Now one could see that the Demon Son was covered in blood-red runes. Zhu Wudao had spearheaded the blood sacrifice and personally refined the idol, knowing it inside and out; tampering with it in secret was not difficult now.
Of course, his greatest reliance was his profound understanding of ancient demons.
His eyes had turned black at some point, radiating an intimidating aura as he stared directly at the Demon Son, seemingly seeing right through to its essence. In an instant, countless runes surged into the Demon Son's body. Though seemingly brute, it was like peeling silk from a cocoon, extracting the Demon Son's origin.
His timing was so precise and his actions so swift that before those above could figure out what was happening, it was already completed, suppressed with a demon seal.
His other reliance was the Spirit Calming Incense.
Using his Nascent Soul cultivation to swallow the Demon Son's origin was no different from a snake swallowing an elephant. The Spirit Calming Incense could stabilize his primordial spirit, ensuring the secret art was completed smoothly and withstanding the fiercest initial impact of the Demon Son's origin.
The demon seal carried the Demon Son's origin and sank into Zhu Wudao's body.
Zhu Wudao's aura surged wildly!
Chapter 1675