Breaking Through to Quasi-Emperor

Of course, external forces are merely supplementary. This Heavenly Venerate was able to achieve enlightenment primarily through their own astonishing talent.

They could see through the essence of Corpse Ghost items, utilizing them as waste, and pioneered the creation of these Corpse Pills, which could both counter Corpse Ghosts and condense their essence.

Using secret arts to transform the essence, they instantly turned it into Flesh and Blood Great Medicine.

This Heavenly Venerate was truly talented!

Zhang Huan admired them in his heart and immediately asked the little Demonic Box.

"How did you know this secret art?"

The Demonic Box had been quiet lately. After learning that Zhang Huan was not from the Underworld, it had become somewhat confused, but the deed was done. It could only follow Zhang Huan to the bitter end.

Although it had submitted, it was not like a spirit of a 본명 (natal) weapon, working in unison and always considering its master's well-being.

It was only because its life was in Zhang Huan's hands that it offered a warning when facing danger. It still needed time to be refined before it would obediently listen.

At other times, it remained silent, staying in the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Jar, sharing the same misery as another dilapidated small tower.

Now, it was acting out of character and proactively trying to appease Zhang Huan.

"Uh, well. This Soul Stabilizing Bead is actually called a Corpse Pill."

The little Demonic Box pondered for a moment, as if organizing its thoughts.

"The related secret art can be practiced by almost anyone in the Three Veins; it's not a secret."

So, that person deliberately didn't give Zhang Huan the incantation.

They had deliberately guarded against him in this way, perhaps already viewing him as a War Slave.

"..."

As for how this Soul Stabilizing Bead came to be, there were some theories.

"The Underworld is vast, but there are never enough powerful servants. Master must be careful."

The little Demonic Box revealed some ancient secrets.

The master of these War Slaves was the group that ruled the Underworld. It was normal for one or two to disappear occasionally; they couldn't even be accused of stealing from themselves.

And the Underworld's influence was immense; they could simply find more.

The Female Saint who had just received them had said it was a priceless treasure, an unparalleled rarity.

But considering the flesh and blood essence of a Quasi-Emperor Yin Corpse, how could it not be an unparalleled rarity?

The thought of himself being targeted sent a chill down Zhang Huan's spine.

No wonder the Demonic Box had issued a long-overdue warning; it was subtly hinting at that person.

Unfortunately, Zhang Huan wouldn't fall for it. By the time they realized something was wrong, it would be too late, and they would have lost a Corpse Pill for nothing.

In the story he fabricated, that ancient corpse would only appear on battlefields in distant star systems.

And before that, Zhang Huan had already dealt with the spiritual ancient corpse and fled with its Origin Source.

The person behind the scenes couldn't even vent their anger and had to swallow it whole, destined to achieve nothing.

"But using a Corpse Pill to deal with that Spiritual Old Corpse... thinking about it, isn't that using the Underworld's things to deal with the Underworld's people?"

He wondered which faction that spiritual Quasi-Emperor Corpse belonged to. If it knew the person who gave Zhang Huan the Corpse Pill, the situation would be hilarious.

When he found that old corpse, he would definitely ask about it and give it a surprise.

However, speaking of which, the Demonic Box's behavior was also intriguing.

It only needed to make Zhang Huan notice, but it revealed so much, even explaining the secret art. Something out of the ordinary must be afoot.

"You're being so diligent; do you have something on your mind? Just say it."

Zhang Huan got straight to the point. It was just an artifact, with limited abilities, and couldn't escape his grasp.

"Uh, well. Haven't I been very obedient lately? It's just that I haven't replenished my energy in a long time."

The Demonic Box spoke sheepishly.

It was truly starving; otherwise, it wouldn't be so diligent and could have endured for a few more days.

The Demonic Box guaranteed that since it had followed Zhang Huan, it had abandoned any unrealistic thoughts and asked Zhang Huan to rest assured.

"If you truly help me, I will never treat you unfairly in the future."

Zhang Huan replied to reassure it.

After hearing this, the Demonic Box seemed to have met a prerequisite and then sought credit from Zhang Huan.

"I report it! That tower is misbehaving. I don't know how it does it, but it often sends me messages with its weak spiritual sense!"

The emotions transmitted were very strong, as if it couldn't stand being disturbed, or perhaps as if it were making a promise to eliminate threats for Zhang Huan.

Seeing that the Demonic Box had so readily exposed itself, the dilapidated small tower's body's withered yellow light surged like breathing, its aura rampant.

"You traitor."

Before it could react, Zhang Huan pinched his fingers, and more dark light appeared, wrapping the dilapidated small tower like a zongzi, completely suppressing its aura.

The Demonic Box smiled shyly, as if embarrassed, then looked at Zhang Huan expectantly.

Zhang Huan glanced at it, feeling that its previous behavior was just a prelude to receiving rewards later, more cunning than a human.

"Do you know the origin of this decaying little tower?"

Both were Quasi-Emperor Artifacts of the Underworld. The Demonic Box's origin was still clear, but this decaying little tower was unexpectedly mysterious.

It specifically lured powerful individuals from the outside world and recruited them into the Underworld. Over the years, Zhang Huan hadn't even heard any information about them.

"It doesn't know. It's not like an item from our era. It's like a vessel carrying a catalyst, created by some expert."

The Demonic Box, uncharacteristically, began to ponder. It had never seen anything like it before.

The Dao and Dharma interwoven on it were no different from a Quasi-Emperor Artifact, yet it possessed no Dao of its own, or rather, no Dao of its master.

It was entirely like a hollow machine, filled with basic programming. Even it found many of its profound mysteries difficult to comprehend.

Just the spiritual sense emanating from it, directly reaching its mind, was enough for a good study. This tower was strange.

After listening, Zhang Huan couldn't deduce anything further, so he nodded.

If it could be seen through so easily, then the Underworld's methods would be merely a rubber stamp. They still possessed considerable true capabilities.

He had felt the same way when he first encountered this little tower, knowing it was strange but unable to see deeper.

Therefore, after arriving at the Underworld, he had never once taken the decaying little tower out of the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Jar.

Returning to his residence, Zhang Huan stuffed some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures into the jar, and the Demonic Box smiled so widely its lid couldn't close.

"The Corpse Pill is perfect for helping my physical body step into the Quasi-Emperor realm. It won't take long before it happens naturally."

"Next, I'll collect Origin Sources and wait until the fifty-year mark approaches to deal with the Spiritual Old Corpse. Then, I can directly slip away with the main force heading to the battlefield."

Zhang Huan mulled over the details, considering setting up another Origin Arts grand formation.

The Underworld's Heaven-Piercing Nether Treasures and Supreme Beings were usually in slumber. Without causing a major disturbance, they wouldn't awaken.

However, the aftermath of a battle between Quasi-Emperors was not insignificant. Although the location was remote, if the fight dragged on, other Quasi-Emperors in the Underworld would at least be able to sense the anomaly.

Therefore, while the Old Corpse was incapacitated, he would directly set up a formation to conceal the commotion. To be safe, he would eliminate it without a sound.

Over the years, Zhang Huan had acquired a vast amount of resources, practically ransacking the homes of several Quasi-Emperors.

He could afford even a Quasi-Emperor level grand formation.

Using countless divine materials along with a few thumb-sized Immortal Gold pieces obtained from the Old Daoist Green Ox was enough to ensure that not a single fluctuation would escape until he dealt with the Spiritual Old Corpse.

Swallowing the Corpse Pill, Zhang Huan refined its essence using a secret technique. He immediately felt his physical body surge with energy, which swept through his entire body, causing his Blood Essence to swell.

The energy contained within this pill was simply unimaginable, vast as the sea. It was even more nourishing than true medicinal pills, truly a Flesh and Blood Great Medicine.

No wonder the person who gave him the Corpse Pill had other Quasi-Emperors in their sights. If he could get two more, Zhang Huan didn't know how high his realm would soar. He estimated it would save him at least several hundred years of accumulation.

Using the Corpse Pill for the first time, Zhang Huan didn't continuously drain it. He only perceived it for a moment, consuming a minuscule amount of energy.

During the process, Zhang Huan didn't feel the slightest trace of death or corpse Qi; it was completely purified.

"It's truly marvelous. This method is like turning decay into magic."

Zhang Huan sighed, admiration evident on his face.

This was also a broad path. By constantly killing ghosts and subduing corpses, accumulating experience, he could gain ever-increasing strength.

If he continued this cycle, even fearsome Corpse Ghosts would tremble in fear. To them, he would be like a demon king.

Perhaps people of that era were like this, killing Corpse Ghosts to extinction. Besides the Underworld, it was rare to encounter such beings elsewhere.

"Corpse Pills can also store Origin Sources, which conveniently solves the problem of having too many."

Zhang Huan had been suppressing himself too much, not breaking through to form a Divine Embryo or advance his realm. The vast Origin Sources within his body had not been converted into strength and had accumulated. If he continued to devour like this, he would eventually lose control.

He could store them in the Corpse Pill for now and then devour them all at once later.

The Corpse Qi was purified by the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Jar, so there were never any worries.

For the next decade or so, Zhang Huan continued to diligently excavate graves, accumulate his foundation, and temper his physical body to break through to the Quasi-Emperor realm.

He occasionally went to the Sea of White Bones where the Spiritual Old Corpse resided to set up some formation patterns. Even though he knew the other party might detect him, Zhang Huan still swaggered back and forth.

He had visited the main hall a few times to request the location of the burial pits. The Female Saint, with a troubled expression, marked out several more areas.

He had asked who had given him the Corpse Pill that day, wanting to express his gratitude in person, but he never got an answer. The contact person only told him to cultivate diligently and bring back Quasi-Emperor corpses as soon as possible.

Zhang Huan left with a cold smile in his heart.

Tempering his physical body to be even more perfect, and with all preparations in place, Zhang Huan went all out to break through, nearly achieving sublimation, on the verge of shattering that forbidden shackle.

He determined a specific period and reported it to the Underworld's management. They were shocked and immediately gave orders to select a good location for Zhang Huan.

The Quasi-Emperor Tribulation was no small matter. Lightning was the ultimate counter to extremely Yin entities. If it were rashly triggered within the Underworld, who knew how many people would be implicated.

Seated on a Lightning Attracting Platform, Zhang Huan quietly waited for his essence, energy, and spirit to be at their peak.

He was confident he could overcome this tribulation. Firstly, his innate talent was not particularly high, so the Quasi-Emperor Tribulation would not be as terrifying as those for monstrous talents. Moreover, this time he was only undergoing tribulation for his physical body, so the lightning tribulation was incomplete.

Secondly, his foundation was sufficient. He had absorbed numerous Origin Sources and possessed the inheritance of the Ruthless Emperor, having learned many wondrous techniques and divine abilities. Overcoming the heavenly tribulation was a sure thing.

Pushing his aura to the extreme, Zhang Huan no longer hesitated and actively drew the lightning tribulation down!

Lightning flashed and thunder roared. Endless bolts of lightning intertwined, densely packed, converging into currents, brewing a heavenly punishment-like tribulation.

With its appearance, a massive presence spread, a terrifying pressure diffusing, unparalleled, as if constantly striking the hearts of everyone watching from afar.

Dragon roars sounded intermittently; these were tribulations specifically descending for the physical body to achieve the Quasi-Emperor realm.

Lightning struck, almost unleashing destructive light. Zhang Huan's blood boiled, his physical body continuously scoured by light and electricity, shedding layer after layer of skin, revealing flesh and blood.

Blood Essence surged upwards, impacting the lightning like a tsunami. Zhang Huan treated it with solemnity, unleashing several secret arts to annihilate wave after wave of heavenly tribulations.

Zhang Huan did not wish to reveal the origins of the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art, concealing it with various divine abilities and disguising it as other Demonic Cultivation Methods.

The sea of lightning churned in the firmament, its momentum growing even more immense. Zhang Huan, risking injury, battled the lightning tribulation; this was a war of attrition.

After a long time, Zhang Huan felt tired for the first time. His Saint Power was nearly depleted, yet the Quasi-Emperor Tribulation still struck, tempering his body to a monstrous level.

The Gate of Opening unleashed path after path, and Zhang Huan felt the ultimate sublimation of his flesh and blood. No longer consuming Saint Power, he directly confronted the lightning tribulation with his body.

Immeasurable, world-shattering divine lightning descended, shattering space itself. Yet, upon landing on Zhang Huan, it only produced thin, elongated lightning snakes.

The Quasi-Emperor body was now formed.

The lightning tribulation could no longer harm Zhang Huan. The brewing, terrifying electrical light was forcibly torn apart, churning with endless light and heat, rising and falling unceasingly.

At this moment, the Quasi-Emperor Tribulation ceased, revealing patches of chaos before dissipating, a anticlimactic and hasty end.

Zhang Huan had been suppressing his cultivation all along. Now, he ruthlessly severed himself once more, a practiced move. He remained in the Great Saint Realm, and the heavenly tribulation, sensing this, did not fully descend.

He opened his mouth and inhaled a vast amount of Chaos Qi. Zhang Huan's body rapidly recovered, becoming perfectly whole in the blink of an eye.

The power of a Quasi-Emperor was terrifyingly strong; its life force alone was countless times greater than that of a Great Saint.

His aura was even more fearsome than that of a living True Dragon, striking terror into anyone who looked upon him.

"Did he succeed or not?"

A supervisor observing from afar wore a solemn expression, his brows furrowed in uncertainty.

He could sense the Quasi-Emperor's pressure, yet the scene before him indicated that the other party had not truly become a cultivator on his level.

"He likely didn't succeed. We've all personally experienced Quasi-Emperor Tribulations and are most familiar with their changes. If he had succeeded, the heavenly tribulation would never have behaved like this."

Another frowned and said regretfully.

"However, he has partially succeeded. Unfortunately, his foundation is insufficient, and there's still a considerable gap before becoming a true Quasi-Emperor."

"Then how should we treat him? His deadline is approaching, and he's among the last batch to be sent to the battlefield. We can't afford any accidents."

"Just leave him be. Let things proceed as they normally would. Even if he were to advance, he'd eventually become a Soul Stabilizing Bead. Can he really turn the world upside down by himself?"

Those who touched upon the Quasi-Emperor realm were incomparable to those in lower realms. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that below the Quasi-Emperor, all were ants.

Some worried that Zhang Huan's sudden surge in strength might allow him to perceive something and cause significant trouble, while others felt it was an overreaction and unnecessary to do anything specific.

If he had been a Quasi-Emperor from the start, it would have been simpler; he would have been targeted long ago. As for this group of Great Saints...

After much deliberation, they decided not to act rashly. After all, he wasn't a true Quasi-Emperor. As long as they proceeded according to the established plan, the supervisors of the Underworld were confident they could keep up appearances.

Someone was already waiting. Before descending the platform, Zhang Huan first adapted to his newfound strength, concealing his aura and pressure within his body, leaving no leaks.

"Alas, my strength is insufficient. I couldn't even fully endure the Quasi-Emperor Tribulation and sustained a Dao Injury early on. Now I'll need some time to heal."

Zhang Huan chuckled, displaying the self-inflicted Dao Injury and stating that he indeed possessed some Quasi-Emperor might, though it was only a trace, better than nothing.

A group of people offered comfort and kind words, but inwardly, they were already laughing. Zhang Huan knew this well; they were all putting on an act, engaging in a battle of acting skills.

After receiving some consolation gifts, Zhang Huan inquired with the supervisors, hoping they could provide him with more burial pits.

It was nearly time to head to the battlefield, and he needed to appear to be healing. In public, it was difficult for the supervisors to refuse, so they promised to send him some Healing Sacred Items later.

Returning to his residence, Zhang Huan waited for several days, but the promised healing items never arrived.

A note: The author is new and this is their first book on Qidian.