The sky above the Jushan Diocesan Altar was completely enveloped in auspicious clouds. As the cloudy vapor roiled, the tribulation cloud was born right amidst them.
The rumble of thunder mingled with the roaring tremors of the auspicious clouds, making the two indistinguishable.
Looking up, Qin Sang saw the dark clouds parting the auspicious clouds and converging overhead. Grey lightning darted through them, casting the tribulation cloud in an even gloomier light.
"Grey tribulation lightning!"
Qin Sang's expression grew solemn.
Just as expected, because the Heavenly Eye Butterfly originated from the same world as he did, she also had to endure the baptism of the ascension tribulation lightning when undergoing her tribulation.
The Heavenly Eye Butterfly possessed the ability to devour tribulation lightning, and should the situation turn critical, he could lend a hand.
Qin Sang was not worried about the butterfly's safety; his concern was that someone witnessing an ascension tribulation would bring unnecessary trouble.
Casting his gaze around, the courtyard was spacious, sealed on all four sides by ancient restrictions. It appeared to be some kind of spiritual formation, yet none of them had been able to locate its foundation.
The ancient formation formed walls of golden light curtains. While it could not completely block vision between the interior and exterior, it was no easy matter for anyone on the outside to clearly see what was inside the courtyard.
It had taken the combined strength of four Deity Transformation cultivators just to pry open a slight gap and send Qin Sang through.
Qin Sang had laid down the astral essence stone formation under the pretense of aiding his spirit insect through her tribulation, but it was also intended to isolate the inside from the outside.
With the two spiritual formations layered together, even if they could not completely prevent outside prying, they would at least confuse anyone trying to deduce what was happening.
After all, this place was different from the world outside. The tribulation cloud was born within the auspicious clouds, the two closely entwined. The seven-colored auspicious clouds cast a kaleidoscope of brilliance across the tribulation cloud, smearing it with vivid, wondrous hues and silver flickers. Unless one was very close, telling true from false was exceedingly difficult.
With a thought, Qin Sang poured his full power into activating the astral essence stones. Dazzling starlight erupted instantly, blending with the surrounding restrictions to form a heavy curtain of light.
However, this could only conceal the celestial phenomenon. The oppressive might and fluctuations brought by the heavenly tribulation could not be completely locked away and were gradually spreading outward.
Outside the courtyard.
The three Daoists had laid down a killing formation and remained quietly on guard. Sensing the fluctuations of the heavenly tribulation, they could not help but look toward the courtyard.
Vaguely visible in the sky above were roiling clouds cascading like torrents, flashing with wondrous lights in a scene of chaotic turmoil.
The pressure radiating from the tribulation seemed not quite as weak as they had anticipated.
Yet even in this realm, a spirit insect undergoing a fifth transformation was exceptionally rare. Spirit insects cultivated slowly, and rearing one was even more difficult than training a troop of demon soldiers. Rarely did orthodox Daoist disciples choose spirit insects as their divine troops.
Few had ever witnessed a spirit insect undergo a fifth transformation heavenly tribulation with their own eyes.
The heavenly tribulation threw the auspicious clouds into upheaval, and the violent fluctuations layered with the tribulation's pressure until the two were impossible to tell apart. The three Daoists showed no signs of suspicion, soon refocusing their attention on their surroundings.
Owing to the unique environment here, the celestial changes could only be seen from up close, but the ripples could propagate far into the distance.
Just then, Real Person Zhijian said in a low voice, "Someone is coming!"
The other two Daoists narrowed their eyes and followed Zhijian's gaze eastward.
As far as the eye could see, there were only palace halls and pavilions; no figures were in sight.
Sinking their senses, they detected obscure auras rapidly closing in on their location, caught by their carefully prepared warning array. The newcomers had clearly been drawn by the heavenly tribulation.
The figures were still some distance away, and it was impossible to tell whether they were humans or demons.
"Two of them!" Real Person Youhuang murmured solemnly.
The three fell silent, concealing their auras and preparing to spring the killing formation at any moment.
The newcomers were no reckless fools. After dashing forward for a while, they abruptly slowed as they drew near, casting arts to suppress their auras as they approached with great caution.
At that moment, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's heavenly tribulation finished brewing.
Qin Sang assumed his Spirit Wood Body, holding the Dingzhen Pill in his grip. Anyone who dared interfere with the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's tribulation would face his full-strength retaliation.
Rumble, rumble...
The tribulation of a spirit insect's transformation consisted solely of lightning tribulation, which was their blessed advantage.
Grey lightning serpents converged into a vortex of thunder at the center of the tribulation cloud, aimed straight at the Heavenly Eye Butterfly below.
Perhaps because her master was at her side, not a hint of fear or unease could be felt in the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's consciousness. She fluttered her wings, releasing ripples of azure light, and actively flew upward to meet the tribulation cloud.
Crack!
A sudden thunderclap resounded.
Without any blinding glare, the courtyard abruptly plunged into darkness.
The thunderous force within the tribulation cloud poured down without reservation. As the tribulation lightning struck, the cloud began to slowly dissipate.
Just like during her breakthrough to the fourth transformation, the spirit insect's fifth transformation heavenly tribulation consisted of only a single bolt of lightning!
Yet its power and momentum were on an entirely different level than before, not to mention that this was a mutated ascension tribulation!
From the center of the cloud burst a massive grey lightning pillar. As the cloud churned, countless arcs of lightning fell around it, dense as driving wind and torrential rain, instantly weaving a sprawling net in midair.
Every bolt was aimed at the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, converging midway into the central pillar of lightning until, like a raging deluge of heavenly thunder, it engulfed its target!
Qin Sang's gaze was solemn as he vaguely discerned the silhouette of the butterfly within the lightning.
Bathed in the lightning, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's wings trembled violently. Her heavenly eyes snapped open, shooting forth two beams of azure lightning.
The lightning struck the tribulation bolt head-on. Violent thunderbursts scattered in all directions, reducing objects in the courtyard to dust.
At the same time, countless electric arcs leaped and flickered within her heavenly eyes.
Compared to the vast, sweeping tribulation lightning, these arcs appeared minute, yet they contained a bizarre power. The moment they touched the lightning, they dyed it azure before it was ultimately swallowed by the heavenly eyes.
Even now, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly might not be able to offer Qin Sang immense aid during his own tribulations, but her ability to devour tribulation lightning made her fearless in the face of heavenly tribulation—an advantage no other spirit insect could match.
From start to finish, the butterfly never sent a single plea for help.
The stray lightning was almost entirely swallowed by her, while the core body of the lightning bolt had been shattered considerably by the two azure beams.
Had this been an ordinary tribulation, it would have been near its end. But this was grey tribulation lightning, and its ferocious fury showed no signs of waning.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Beams of azure lightning blasted into the tribulation bolt repeatedly, yet they still could not halt its relentless advance. With no intention of yielding, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly beat her wings ceaselessly, struggling stubbornly against the lightning.
Qin Sang could not help but grow tense. Shifting his posture, he prepared to intervene.
First, he was worried she might get hurt; second, having received Zhijian's warning that someone was approaching, he needed to be ready for battle at a moment's notice!
Just then, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly did something entirely unexpected. Folding her wings tightly together as though abandoning all resistance, she flickered with azure light, and the halo surrounding her rapidly solidified, forming an invisible, colorless membrane of light over her entire body.
Boom!
The remainder of the tribulation lightning struck heavily against the membrane of light.
Qin Sang's heart jumped. He flashed to her side, but held back from intervening.
One could see that the moment the immense tribulation bolt struck the membrane, starting from the point of contact, it disintegrated layer by layer into countless arcs of electricity, its momentum instantly shattered.
In the next breath, two bolts of lightning burst from within the membrane, completely blasting the tribulation lightning apart!
Spreading her wings, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly rose unharmed. Drifting through the scattering electrical arcs, she devoured the remaining lightning power before shrinking down to the size of a normal butterfly. She circled Qin Sang merrily, then landed upon his shoulder as though claiming credit for her feat.
Qin Sang looked at her in surprise, deducing that the light membrane was a new divine ability she had comprehended upon her transformation. Judging by its effect, it was likely a protective divine ability.
Spirit insects cultivated divine abilities exclusively. Except for certain special species, their bodies were usually frail, which had previously made Qin Sang reluctant to let her take risks.
Now that she had broken through to the fifth transformation, she had finally gained a protective ability, covering her greatest weakness.
A surge of delight welled within Qin Sang, but there was no time to test the ability's power, for the uninvited guests had already drawn near!
Glancing outside, Qin Sang immediately ordered the butterfly to return to his dantian. Clinging close to him, still immersed in the excitement of her transformation, she fluttered her wings reluctantly before flying back inside.
The courtyard's restrictions were difficult to enter but easy to exit. Qin Sang pressed his hand against the wall of light, and in a flash of radiance, he emerged outside. Leaping forward, he darted toward an alleyway between two golden halls in the distance.
Five figures were already confronting one another in the alley.
On one side stood the three Daoists. The pair on the other side made an odd combination: one was a white-haired old Daoist, while the other was a young monk in a kasaya with ordination scars on his head!
Suddenly blocked by the three Daoists, the monk and Daoist were startled, faces filled with vigilance.
The three Daoists also wore strange expressions, exchanging glances; they had not expected to draw two cultivators instead of a demon marquis.
"So it is Real Person Zhang and Venerable Zhenru."
Real Person Guyun bowed in greeting, recognizing them.
"Real Person Guyun, Real Person Youhuang. And this must be Real Person Zhijian! A pleasure to meet you at last!"
The white-haired Daoist, Real Person Zhang, waved his horsetail whisk lightly and bowed in return.
They all hailed from Jushan Diocese. Dongxuan Real Persons were not numerous in Jushan Diocese, so even if they had not dealt with one another before, they had heard of each other.
This Real Person Zhang came from the Yiyu Sect, a sect located outside Star Island Immortal Lake. Venerable Zhenru's sect, Jingtai Temple, was adjacent to Yiyu Sect and was one of the rare Buddhist lineages in this realm.
Whoosh!
Qin Sang landed nearby. Surprised by the scene, he could not help giving the young monk an extra glance or two.
Both uninvited guests were Deity Transformation cultivators. The old Daoist was particularly formidable—Qin Sang noticed he was in the Mid Deity Transformation stage, the highest cultivation level among those present.
His arrival drew everyone's eyes. Real Person Zhang sized him up and said, "This Fellow Daoist looks unfamiliar. Was it you undergoing tribulation just now? It seems this was a misunderstanding."
At this moment, Real Person Zhijian sent a voice transmission explaining their backgrounds.
"So it is Real Person Zhang and Venerable Zhenru. Pindao is Qingfeng. Please excuse my lack of manners!" Qin Sang nodded and cupped his hands.
As fellow human cultivators, a fight was out of the question. Even though Qin Sang's side held the numerical advantage, both parties had come to hunt demon marquises and wished to avoid unnecessary complications.
Real Person Zhijian cut in to ask, "Did the two of you also come because of the Daoist decree?"
He got straight to the point.
With fewer and fewer discoveries left in the Jushan Diocesan Altar, very few people came here these days, making this encounter quite a coincidence.
Real Person Zhang paused for a moment before replying, "Venerable Zhenru had long wished to enter the Jushan Diocesan Altar to observe the divine abilities left by the ancient mighty figures. It so happened that Pindao caught wind of the news at the Daoist Court, so I invited the Venerable to accompany me here. We arrived not long ago and came to investigate after sensing the tribulation fluctuations. It seems you Daoists are here for the same matter?"
Now that things were out in the open, the atmosphere gradually relaxed.
Real Person Youhuang could not help asking, "How long have you two been here? Have you found any trace of the demon marquises?"
"None, or we wouldn't be wandering aimlessly like this," Real Person Zhang replied with a slow shake of his head. Pausing, he added, "Since our goals align, why not join forces? What do you think?"
Qin Sang and the others were not opposed to the idea. More people meant sharing the merits, but it also brought greater opportunities.
"How does Real Person Zhang propose we coordinate our efforts?" Real Person Zhijian asked on behalf of the group.
Real Person Zhang looked toward the sprawling golden palaces in the distance. "This place is so vast; searching it inch by inch, when would we ever find our targets? I fear by the time we do, they will have achieved their purpose and departed. Why not split into two groups and exchange communication methods? Once a target is found, we can join forces to hunt down the demons!"
Hearing this, the four exchanged glances. In truth, they had discussed splitting up earlier.
However, not knowing how many demon marquises had slipped inside, they had worried about running into a formidable enemy alone and outnumbered, preferring instead to spend more time together.
Though Real Person Zhang and Venerable Zhenru were only two, Real Person Zhang was a renowned expert of unfathomable skill.
Real Person Zhijian nodded, handing over a sword talisman. "Very well. If you discover the demons, activate this talisman, and Pindao will know."
Real Person Zhang accepted it with pleasure and handed him a jade plate in return.
Next, the two sides pooled their findings. Combined with how long Qin Sang and his group had searched and the path Zhang's pair had covered, they had now surveyed half of the golden halls.
Having reached an agreement, they split up immediately.
With the ambush having yielded no prey, Qin Sang and his companions dismantled the killing formation and continued forward along their prior route.
Qin Sang had thought he would need to offer some explanation, but the three were tactful and did not pry into his spirit insect's secrets, sparing him the trouble.
As they advanced, Qin Sang sank part of his mind into his sea of qi to communicate with the Heavenly Eye Butterfly.
The butterfly was in prime condition. After advancing, her realm exceeded the limits of the talisman altar, yet she showed no signs of mental confusion.
Her physical appearance had not changed noticeably after the transformation. Her intellect had improved, but she was still some distance from seamless communication with humans, leading Qin Sang to sigh inwardly.
Though spirit insects had no worries regarding the Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation, their path of cultivation was arduous nonetheless.
Lacking the opportunity to test her new divine ability, the butterfly was also digesting the gains from her transformation and familiarizing herself with it.
Recalling the scene during the tribulation, Qin Sang analyzed it secretly. The dense lightning bolt had visibly fragmented upon touching the membrane of light, decomposing into electrical arcs with its momentum and power heavily depleted.
This reminded Qin Sang of a legendary divine ability—the Innate Separation and Reunion Divine Light!
Legend had it that this divine light could separate and recombine all things; one with profound mastery could even reduce an opponent's divine ability directly to its fundamental spiritual energy, easily neutralizing attacks even if encountered for the first time.
The butterfly's new ability was certainly not that miraculous, but its manifestation seemed to possess a similar efficacy.
At the thought, Qin Sang grew somewhat eager to test it.
By then, three days had passed since the two groups parted ways. Suddenly, an earth-shaking boom snapped Qin Sang out of his reverie.
Swish! Swish!
The four leapt to higher ground. Ahead, a plume of fiery red clouds surged into the sky, shaking the entire golden palace.
In the next moment, a beam of golden light shot from the destroyed golden palace, darting rearward like lightning before vanishing into the Nine-Bends Astral River in the blink of an eye.
Immediately afterward, shadowy figures vaguely emerged from the fiery clouds and charged into the Nine-Bends Astral River as well. This instantly triggered tremors across the river of stars, whose brilliant radiance flared intensely and surged toward the intruders.
"Demons!"
Real Person Zhijian growled in a low voice. His figure flashed as he gave chase, and the other three quickly followed suit.
Chapter 1787