Six Hundred Thousand Years of Calamity Qi to Temper the Dao, a Mid-Level Core Eighth-Tier Law
The carriage bumped along the mountain road, and the driver, intimidated by the fear and pain emanating from the four people, dared not delay for even a moment.
The whip nearly ripped the flesh off the horse's back, and the wheels rolled over gravel and weeds, galloping wildly toward the Tianyan Sect like madmen.
The carriage was deathly silent, save for suppressed coughs and gasps for air.
The black-robed elder leading the group leaned against the carriage wall, his chest wound throbbing with excruciating pain with every movement. Dark golden tribulation patterns left by the tribulation lightning still lingered in his meridians, like a bone-deep affliction, constantly gnawing at his spiritual power.
The other three cultivators who were forcibly pulled out of the Void-Hiding Pouch were in an even worse state, their clothes charred black and their Daoist robes riddled with holes burned by lightning.
The spiritual energy within his body was intermittent, and the originally condensed Dao Resonance was shattered into pieces by that Tribulation Domain.
Neither of them spoke, but the dark golden tribulation clouds that had covered the sky and the desolate thunderous power that had torn apart the hidden treasures kept replaying in their minds.
The Void-Hiding Pouch that had accompanied them for many years and enabled them to carry out countless sneak attacks was now lying in a corner of the carriage, its body covered with fine cracks.
The previously flowing, concealed spiritual light was almost completely extinguished, and no matter how much spiritual power was injected, it could no longer hide even a trace of a living person's aura.
This rare treasure bestowed by the sect has been severely damaged by the calamity-causing essence of that sword strike, rendering it almost useless.
They traveled day and night without stopping.
By the time the carriage entered the Tianyan Sect's mountain gate and stopped outside the sect leader's main hall, the four of them had almost exhausted their last bit of strength.
The disciples who came to deliver the message were shocked to see that the four men were covered in blood and looked exhausted. They dared not ask any questions and quickly went inside to report.
The Sect Master of the Tianyan Sect sat upright in the main seat of the hall, dressed in a plain-colored Daoist robe, his face calm, his eyes carrying the indifferent majesty of someone who had long held a high position.
He gently stroked a warm jade pendant with his fingertips. Upon hearing the announcement, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and he gave a light instruction, allowing them to enter the hall.
The four of them helped each other into the main hall, but as soon as they stepped inside, they could no longer hold on and all knelt down.
The black-robed elder suppressed the surging blood in his throat, bowed his head and kowtowed, his voice hoarse and trembling as he recounted the entire story of his journey, word by word.
"Sect Master, the plan... has failed."
He began by explaining his plan to lure the door open under the pretext of searching for stolen treasures, and then carefully recounted the original arrangements.
He alone intervened, while the other three were sealed in Void-Hiding Pouch, concealing their auras. They waited until the other party opened their gates before bursting out of the pouch. The four combined their auras, set up a combined attack formation, and surrounded and killed the target on the spot.
He described in detail the sudden Tribulation Domain: the clear sky suddenly darkened, calamity clouds gathered out of thin air, and a law within the lightning ignored the hidden Dao patterns of the Void-Hiding Pouch, directly penetrating the treasure's confinement and forcibly forcing the three people inside out.
In their haste, they activated their combined attack technique, unifying their four forces to form a natal shield. This shield was strong enough to withstand the attack of Stellar Threefold Transformation, but it shattered in an instant under that single blow.
He spoke of the excruciating pain of being struck by tribulation lightning, the despair of having his spiritual power suppressed and his foundation trembling, and the final warning his opponent issued.
He didn't mention any unrelated people outside the mountain gate, only recounting the power of the calamity sword, the insurmountable Tribulation Domain, and their tragic defeat.
"The Void-Hiding Pouch is mostly destroyed, and the Concealment Technique is almost useless. All four of us are severely injured, and our combined attack formation was broken on the spot. We are unable to continue our mission and can only return in haste. We have come to apologize to the Sect Master."
After he finished speaking, the hall became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
The Tianyan Sect's finger, which had been resting on the jade tablet, slowly stopped, and his originally peaceful gaze gradually darkened.
He listened quietly to all the reports, without immediately becoming angry. His deep gaze swept over the four people kneeling below, and landed on the Void-Hiding Pouch that had been presented to him, its spiritual light dimmed and riddled with cracks.
He raised his hand, and a gentle yet profound Dao power of the sect leader swept across the pouch. After a slight examination, he sensed the calamity mark remaining inside the treasure. It was a domineering, perfect law with a sense of annihilation and destiny, unlike any kind of technique or Daoist tradition that the Tianyan Sect was familiar with.
The sect leader's heart was filled with turmoil.
This combined attack formation was honed by the sect at great expense. The four Early Stage- Twelfth Realm cultivators working together are enough to contend with a powerhouse at the Stellar Threefold Transformation. It is a stealth attack force that he values highly.
Coupled with the concealment ability of the Void-Hiding Pouch, what was thought to be a foolproof plan turned out to be a disaster. Before they could even step into the enemy's mountain gate, the ambush was exposed, the formation collapsed in one blow, the treasure was almost destroyed, and all four Twelfth Realm cultivators were injured and fled back.
He had initially thought it was just a simple targeted operation, but now he realized that the target's strength far exceeded his expectations.
"Even with the combined efforts of the four of you, along with the concealment of the Void-Hiding Pouch, you didn't even have a chance to launch a coordinated attack." The sect leader's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling pressure. "That Tribulation Domain directly broke through the treasure's restrictions, forced out the ambush, and then shattered your combined attack shield?"
"Yes." The black-robed elder pressed his forehead against the cold floor tiles, not daring to look up. "Under that Tribulation Domain, there was nothing to hide. All our backup plans were rendered useless in the face of the unfolding calamity clouds. With just one sword strike, the enemy had rendered us powerless to fight any further."
The three ambushers also kowtowed, still haunted by the fear of being targeted by the lightning that day.
They were originally confident in the mystery of the Void-Hiding Pouch and the power of the combined attack formation, but now they realized that in the face of that level of tribulation power, their calculations were as flimsy as paper.
Inside the main hall, a gentle breeze rustled through the copper bells in the corridor, their soft tinkling adding to the solemn atmosphere.
The Tianyan Sect remained silent for a long time before slowly withdrawing his gaze. He gently tapped the jade scepter with his fingertips, the rhythm slow and deliberate, each tap seeming to strike the hearts of the four.
"The sin, I'll make a note of it for now." He finally spoke. "You all go back and heal your wounds, cleanse your bodies of the remaining poison from the treacherous path, and leave the Void-Hiding Pouch behind. I want to examine this treacherous mark myself."
The four felt as if they had been granted a pardon, and quickly kowtowed in gratitude. Supporting each other, they carefully withdrew from the main hall.
The palace doors slowly closed.
The vast sect hall was now empty except for the Tianyan Sect. He picked up the tattered Void-Hiding Pouch, condensed a wisp of Dao power at his fingertips, and once again carefully sensed the remaining dark gold tribulation patterns within the pouch, his gaze gradually deepening.
A sword that can unleash a perfect Tribulation Domain, pierce hidden treasures, and directly defeat an opponent comparable to Stellar Threefold Transformation combined attack array.
This time, it wasn't that the prey fell into a trap, but rather that they ran headlong into someone else's sharp edge.
He pondered for a moment, then raised his hand to summon his trusted messenger disciple and whispered instructions. One after another, secret commands were quietly sent out of the Tianyan Sect. This was no longer the rash attack of before, but a re-examination to ascertain the depth of that calamity-ridden power.
Chen Du turned around and slowly returned to the bamboo courtyard, gently closing the gate to shut out all the noise and dust outside the mountain gate.
He sat down on the couch, and his mind instantly calmed down.
At that very moment, a warm and powerful torrent surged into the depths of his consciousness.
It's Calamity Qi.
This Calamity Qi far surpassed all previous accumulations, being exceptionally condensed, heavy, and sharp. It carried the feedback from the Heavenly Dao after the end of the battles between heaven and earth, pressing down heavily and covering the entire sea of consciousness.
Chen Du made a rough estimate, a slight chill running down his spine.
It has been Calamity Qi that has lasted for over 600,000 years.
This is more than double the previous 250,000 years of the Twelfth Realms Ambush and Killing Squad in the Withered Bones Gorge.
He understood.
The four Early Stage cultivators of the Twelfth Realm who attacked this time possessed a perfect combined attack formation. Their combined strength was comparable to that of Stellar Threefold Transformation expert. In addition, with the Void-Hiding Pouch, a top-tier concealment treasure, the entire killing scheme was meticulously planned and full of hidden dangers.
Such a lineup, even in the vast and boundless Ancestral God Realm, would be enough to dominate a region and crush small and medium-sized sects; it is undoubtedly a top-tier hunting force.
The Heavenly Dao determines calamities; the more perilous the calamity, the more deadly the plot, and the heavier the killing intent, the more generous the reward.
This Calamity Qi of six hundred thousand years is Heavenly Dao's ultimate reward for this perilous situation.
Chen Du did not rush to refine it, nor did he immediately infuse it with his talent.
He knew that the most valuable thing after experiencing real combat was not the surge in strength, but the swordsmanship experience gained from that battle.
He had just unleashed the perfected sixth sword, the Tribulation Domain, whose power exceeded his expectations. With one sword, he broke through the formation, suppressed four cultivators, and shattered the restrictions on the rare treasure, stunning the entire audience.
However, the drawbacks are equally clear.
This perfected Tribulation Domain killing move also consumed an extremely terrifying amount of energy, instantly draining nearly 30% of his Law Origin Power.
If the opponent is not at the Stellar Threefold Transformation, but a top expert at the Fourth Stellar Metamorphosis Transformation, after this sword strike, his spiritual power will be depleted and his laws will be weak, and he may not be able to support a second sword strike, and the battle situation will be reversed instantly.
Only by being cautious can one achieve longevity.
Chen Du closed his eyes and reviewed and repeatedly replayed every detail of the battle at the mountain gate in his mind.
From the speed at which the tribulation clouds gathered and dispersed, to the trajectory of the nine dark gold swords merging into the lightning domain, to the precise rhythm of the tribulation lightning locking onto the enemy, to the opportunity for the shield wall to shatter due to the combined attack of the four, and the flaw in the dissipation of the array's energy...
Countless minute details, without a single omission, are all clearly revealed.
He meticulously corrected the flaws along the path of swordsmanship, refined the coverage of the Tribulation Domain, streamlined power consumption, and optimized the locking and killing mechanism, gradually solidifying the perfect foundation of the sixth sword and smoothing out the unnecessary power loss of the moves.
Instantly, this killing move became even more refined, ultimate, and both offensive and defensive.
Several days passed quietly.
The bamboo courtyard is quiet and undisturbed by the passage of time.
Once the sixth sword was fully stabilized and its combat power was nearly perfected, Chen Du finally set off, activating his talent.
With a thought, the immense Calamity Qi accumulated over six hundred thousand years was poured into the [Heaven's Way's Gift] source without reservation.
Buzz! The innate Dao seal in the sea of consciousness trembled violently, and a ten-thousand-foot-long dark golden Dao light soared into the sky, dispersing into Heavenly Dao rhymes.
The massive amount of Calamity Qi was dismantled, purified, and transformed one by one by the rules of the Heavenly Dao, eventually condensing into two warm and heavy dark golden Dao essence light clusters, which quietly floated in the sky above the sea of consciousness.
A cluster, carrying the insights gained from 300,000 Tribulation-Transcending Law.
A cluster, carrying the insights of the Tribulation Armor Law accumulated over 300,000 years.
Chen Du used his divine soul to comprehend the profound mysteries of the Heavenly Dao, and with his divine inspiration, he disassembled, recombined, integrated, and precipitated countless Dao patterns.
A vast and boundless understanding of the laws washed over his entire body, cleansing his foundation.
The Tribulation-Transcending Law and Tribulation Armor Law, which had already been firmly established at the ninth level of perfection, underwent another profound sublimation.
The foundation of the two laws is becoming increasingly solid and refined, and the barriers are loosening layer by layer. It has already faintly transcended the nine shackles and touched the higher level threshold of the law domain. It seems that it is about to merge into Mid-Level Core Eighth-Tier Law.
As he perfected both laws, the endless tribulation sword intent also frantically nourished his sword dao origin.
Under the tempering and refinement of a massive amount of Heavenly Dao insights, the next barrier sealed by the Heavenly Tribulation Nine Swords was suddenly shattered.
The complete outline, Dao Resonance structure, tribulation mechanism, and killing core of the Seventh Sword have taken shape and are clearly manifested in the sea of consciousness.
No need for deliberate understanding or lengthy deduction.
The gift of six hundred thousand years of Calamity Qi directly laid a solid foundation for his seventh sword.
All that's missing is real-world practice to achieve complete perfection.
After a long while, Chen Du slowly opened his eyes, a clear sword light flashing in his eyes, which he quickly concealed in his heart.
His aura was calm and restrained, his foundation in Dao was profound and boundless, and his swordsmanship underwent another leap forward.
He slowly got up, stretched his shoulders and neck, and stepped out of the bamboo courtyard.
Qingfeng Mountain is serene and tranquil, where the morning bell and evening drum sound as scheduled.
A long, drawn-out bell tolled slowly, penetrating the mountains and forests, serene, distant, and peaceful.
Outside the mountains, turbulent currents surge, and the killing intent remains unabated.
He guarded the tranquility of the mountain, tempered his own Dao, and waited patiently for the wind to rise so that his sword could reach its Peak Stage.