Chapter 692
But above his head, layers of thunderclouds had begun to accumulate.
The sky was dim, dark as a long night.
Master Tongming sighed, "The tribulation facing Lord Zheng is far more terrifying than the one I faced when I transcended."
The head of Mingde and the others nodded in agreement. This was only natural; with Zheng Fa's profound accumulation, his tribulation would indeed surpass that of ordinary cultivators.
Yet, beneath the dark clouds, Zheng Fa still wore a contemplative expression...
Seeing this, Master Tongming couldn't help but exclaim, "Zheng Fa... Could it be that he has forgotten about his own tribulation?"
Elder Pang shook his head, about to say something, when a bolt of purple lightning descended from the clouds, striking Zheng Fa directly on the crown of his head.
The thunderclap echoed through the sky, reverberating far and wide.
Zheng Fa seemed to finally come to his senses, his brow slightly furrowed, as if his train of thought had been interrupted.
He extended his hand, and a flash of lightning appeared in his palm, slicing toward the sky.
The two bolts of lightning collided and vanished in an instant.
The thunderclouds above seemed to be enraged, unleashing a torrential downpour of angry lightning upon Zheng Fa.
Yet, Zheng Fa did not retreat an inch, meeting lightning with lightning, and not even the hem of his robe was singed.
Li Shangxian watched this scene in astonishment, squinting as if observing Zheng Fa's technique. Suddenly, he spoke up:
"Zheng Fa's lightning technique..."
"Hmm?"
"Could it be that he learned it from this heavenly tribulation?"
The head of Mingde and the others immediately understood what Li Shangxian meant:
Each of Zheng Fa's lightning strikes was identical to the bolts of the tribulation, without a single difference...
On one hand, they were amazed by the sophistication of Zheng Fa's lightning technique.
On the other hand, they shared the same strange feeling as Li Shangxian:
First, he learned the Taiji diagram from Dao Zun, then the combat techniques from True Immortal Lu.
Now, he’s even learning lightning techniques from the heavenly tribulation?
Li Shangxian slowly shook his head, expressing his admiration, "Lord Zheng's talent truly leaves me in awe..."
The head of Mingde thought to himself that Li Shangxian was not being polite:
Did they not want to learn these techniques?
When ordinary cultivators face tribulations, who has the luxury to do so? Not to mention mastering two extraordinary secret arts in such a short time— even if it was just the surface, it was enough to earn Li Shangxian's respect.
Zheng Fa's accumulation and insight were indeed unparalleled, even in the records of the Taishang Dao.
This visit to Jiushan Sect to assess Zheng Fa's potential and methods likely exceeded Li Shangxian's expectations.
...
As Elder Pang had said, Zheng Fa now truly regarded ordinary transformation tribulations with disdain.
His dharma body merged with the Fusang tree and had cultivated the Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Classic). Even without the Xianjian (Sword of Immortality), he was comparable to a scattered immortal.
The lightning tribulations that other transformation cultivators feared like tigers were, at this moment, nothing more than a light massage for him.
Even some tribulations that other transformation cultivators could not encounter would not harm him in the slightest:
After the lightning tribulation came the Yin Wind tribulation.
Elder Pang and the others only saw Zheng Fa transform into a gust of wind, blending seamlessly with the light.
The Yin Wind tribulation was something the head of Mingde had never seen before, but at that moment, a ball of heavenly fire began to coalesce in the sky.
"I’ve heard that some demonic cultivators encounter the Yin Wind tribulation when they transform, but what is this?"
The head of Mingde looked at Elder Pang, puzzled.
Elder Pang frowned and shook his head, seemingly just as confused.
"The Heavenly Fire tribulation," Li Shangxian answered first. "Though rare, it’s not unheard of. When celestial cultivators transform, they often face the thunder tribulation, while the heavenly fire tribulation is less common. Demonic cultivators generally do not encounter the heavenly fire tribulation. A cultivator facing the combined tribulations of thunder, Yin wind, and heavenly fire... I have never heard of such a thing."
Li Shangxian let out a soft gasp, frowning as he looked at Zheng Fa, and Elder Pang followed suit.
They saw Zheng Fa gazing at the heavenly fire, a hint of interest in his eyes. Finally, he did not dodge or evade, allowing the heavenly fire to engulf him.
It was clear to everyone that Zheng Fa was doing this intentionally, but no one understood why.
The heavenly fire surrounded Zheng Fa, flowing into him through every pore, weaving through his meridians, and gathering in his dantian, as if it were refining this magical treasure.
"Just as I thought..."
Previously, during his tribulation, Zheng Fa felt as if the heavens were intolerant of cultivators, as if they disapproved of their advancement.
But now, after cultivating the Huangting Jing, he had gained a meticulous control over himself, especially with the method of "Storing Spirit to Reflect Myself," which allowed him to record every minute change within him.
During this tribulation, he noticed something different:
With each bolt of heavenly thunder dissipating, it seemed that a spark of inspiration fell from the thunder into his sea of consciousness, solidifying his Yang spirit further.
In the Yin Wind tribulation, the soul-piercing winds contained a gentle, soft spiritual power that subtly balanced the brutality and impulsiveness within his dharma body.
Even this inexplicable heavenly fire tribulation was refining his innate magical treasure...
The spirit soul belonged to the Yin, thus requiring the utmost Yang and firm thunder to nurture it.
The dharma body leaned toward Yang but needed Yin fire to cleanse its aggression.
Moreover, the heavenly fire tribulation greatly benefited the innate magical treasure within the Tianhe method.
At this moment, he finally understood: at least during the transformation tribulation, it was not that the heavens were intolerant, but rather a test filled with rewards:
Failing meant death and the end of the path.
Succeeding, however, brought with it boundless benefits.
But other cultivators lacked the "Storing Spirit to Reflect Myself" method, unable to grasp their subtle evolution. Even if they made significant progress after the tribulation, they would attribute it solely to their cultivation, never realizing the assistance from the heavens.
As the heavenly fire dissipated, the spiritual light on the Zao Hua Yu Tie (Treasure of Creation) grew even more radiant, and in Zheng Fa's heart, it seemed to have gained a hint of sentience!
"Spiritual treasure... So that's how it is." Zheng Fa smiled lightly, realizing how some cultivators' innate magical treasures evolved into spiritual treasures.
These three tribulations were clearly a sign of the heavens' favor!
Watching the heavenly fire gradually fade, Zheng Fa felt a twinge of reluctance. Then, his spirit lifted, and he looked toward the outside of the Jiushan realm, his anticipation deepening:
"All you inner demons, please come forth!"
...
"I didn't expect Lord Zheng to pass through the three tribulations so easily, but this inner demon... it seems to be taking quite a while. I wonder when he will emerge."
In Li Shangxian's courtyard, the old man in transformation sighed. At this moment, he no longer dared to call Zheng Fa by name, only referring to him as Lord Zheng, yet his face bore a hint of balance.
The expressions of the others were similar—after all, Zheng Fa's tribulation was a significant blow to them as transformation cultivators. Now, seeing that Zheng Fa was deeply entangled with his inner demons, they found some comfort in it.
Elder Pang, seeing their reactions, silently thought:
"That also depends on how long the inner demons can hold out..."
After witnessing Zheng Fa's tribulation, Li Shangxian seemed eager to meet him, appearing more impatient than anyone else. He turned to Elder Pang and asked anxiously, "It's been over three months now. How is Zheng Fa? Has anyone from your sect gone to check?"
"The sect leader is fine," Elder Pang replied honestly.
"Then why has it taken so long?"
"Uh... Perhaps this time, the inner demons are particularly stubborn."
Li Shangxian frowned slightly, feeling that the word "stubborn" sounded odd. He wanted to ask more, but suddenly looked up at the sky.
A clear radiance swept across the heavens, and everyone sensed something unusual, soaring into the air to look toward the source of the phenomenon.
They saw a celebratory cloud rising slowly from where Zheng Fa was in seclusion. Above the celebratory cloud, three fist-sized blue lotuses appeared, not yet blooming, their clear radiance spilling across the world, illuminating the Jiushan realm.
Bathed in the clear light, everyone felt a sense of comfort, clarity of mind, and a joyful impulse to worship.
"Ancestor?"
The head of Mingde called out softly, cautiously glancing at Li Shangxian.
Elder Pang turned his head as well, equally astonished, for Li Shangxian wore a smile, yet there were tears glistening at the corners of his eyes.
Li Shangxian chuckled softly, "I just remembered... many things."
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 482: Transformation of Divine Powers, True Immortal Identity
Chapter 482: Transformation of Divine Powers, True Immortal Identity
With a slightly dazed glance at Li Shangxian, Elder Pang turned his attention back to Zheng Fa: compared to this inexplicable outsider, it was naturally Zheng Fa's transformation that captivated his thoughts.
At a glance, Elder Pang's heart couldn't help but skip a beat:
Zheng Fa's current situation seemed somewhat off!
Three blue lotuses had appeared above his head, gradually undergoing some changes: one was burning with golden flames, another floated in purple mist, and the last was surrounded by a green aura.
Elder Pang was familiar with the Huangting Jing, and a sudden realization struck him:
These three flowers likely corresponded to the Yang spirit, the dharma body, and the innate magical treasure.
But what made him anxious was the other changes—
The blue lotus engulfed in golden flames trembled slightly, as if about to bloom, vibrant and solid.
The other two lotuses, however, paled in comparison:
The one surrounded by green aura was still okay, but it suddenly shrank a circle, appearing malnourished.
But the one in the purple mist had wilted petals, and its clear radiance was gradually dimming.
"This..."
Elder Pang couldn't quite comprehend, but this sight was undoubtedly not a good omen.
Table of Contents
