Innate Fulfilled, Acquired Born

The Heavenly Tribulation gradually neared its end.

"Boom..."

The dark clouds in the sky gathered and shrank once more, all the lightning points condensing into a black bolt that struck the Azure Emperor Divine Tree.

The lightning still failed to break through the Azure Emperor Divine Tree's defenses.

"Roar... whimper..." The Heavenly Tribulation let out a mournful, desolate howl and vanished between heaven and earth.

"Brother Lu, we really made it through the Heavenly Tribulation." Nantian Wan'er smiled as she watched the dark clouds in the sky gradually disperse.

"Yes, we finally made it through. Next comes the blessing of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth."

Before the blessing of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth descended, Lu Chen began examining the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram around him and the Acquired Eight Trigrams Diagram within his body.

"Just a little energy short. If there were another wave of Heavenly Tribulation, perhaps it could be successfully established."

Just as Lu Chen was observing the Innate and Acquired Eight Trigrams Diagrams, that ethereal voice rang out by his ear once more: The road of the Great Dao has already opened. The Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree shall surely shine again. Are you willing to bear the burden of restoring the Myriad Worlds for me?

Lu Chen looked around, searching for the source of the voice. "Who? Who is speaking?"

That ethereal voice did not converse with Lu Chen, merely repeating: Are you willing to bear the burden of restoring the Myriad Worlds for me?

Nantian Wan'er stared at the Azure Emperor Divine Tree. The bloodline of the Phoenix Ancestor was naturally sensitive to such strange things. "Brother Lu, the voice seems to be coming from the Azure Emperor Divine Tree in the middle."

Lu Chen turned toward the Azure Emperor Divine Tree at the center. A face materialized upon its trunk, staring at Lu Chen as it questioned him.

Lu Chen discovered that the face resembled his own somewhat, yet it carried a peculiar sense of maturity.

"Who are you? Why does your face look so much like mine?" Lu Chen asked the Azure Emperor Divine Tree.

The face on the Azure Emperor Divine Tree stopped questioning him and opened its tightly shut eyes. A red beam and a blue beam flashed through them.

"I am you, and you are me, Lu Chen of Qingtian Workshop. Are you willing to bear the burden of the Myriad Worlds for me?" the face said as it looked at Lu Chen.

"I..."

Lu Chen was deeply puzzled. He neither dared believe nor answer what the face before him had said.

"Hehehe, take your time. There is still plenty of time; you can think it over slowly." The face seemed anxious, yet it was full of patience toward Lu Chen.

"The blessing of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth is coming. Experience carefully the truest insights that the blessing brings you. Remember to gather innate elements to perfect the Eight Trigrams Diagram, whether the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram or the Acquired Eight Trigrams Diagram."

"Dong..."

A bell-like boom came from the sky, and everyone in the Secret Realm raised their heads to look upward.

Cloud and mist began to swirl above Lu Chen and Nantian Wan'er's heads. Figures of every kind unexpectedly emerged from within the mist, the people and scenery in the visions constantly changing. Cultivators, demon beasts, ghosts, and monsters gathered before a Giant Tree to discuss the Dao.

The sounds of Dao discussion reached Lu Chen and Nantian Wan'er's ears like a blow to the head. Cultivation knowledge they had previously failed to understand became clear one after another, and their control over spiritual energy grew more precise.

The people of Fengtian Prefecture, Medicine King Villa, and Purple Flame Fortress had already gathered together, beginning to hunt demon beasts and seize magical treasures in the center of the Secret Realm.

Jun Wudi stared at the sky. "A heavenly phenomenon? Someone actually shed mortality and became immortal in such a tiny place."

"Uncle Jun, what is a heavenly phenomenon?" Nantian Yijian did not know this cultivation knowledge.

"Young man, this old man will explain it to you." Yao Buting was also staring at the sky as he spoke.

"A heavenly phenomenon generally appears when heavenly treasures or Chongtian Realm cultivators pass through a powerful Heavenly Tribulation and gain the recognition of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. Heaven sends down a blessing, creating such a sight. These phenomena are often intimately connected to the past experiences of the one undergoing tribulation."

Zi Long said, "I have not seen a heavenly phenomenon in many years. Secret Realms have been appearing everywhere lately, and now such a powerful phenomenon has emerged. The Golden Age of this generation should be about to begin."

Nantian Xiu watched the phenomenon in the sky. Precisely because he knew that Lu Chen and Nantian Wan'er were the ones undergoing tribulation, the shock in his heart was all the greater.

"Just what is Lu Chen's background? His talent is so monstrously abnormal."

The Heavenly Tribulation encountered in the Qi Gathering Realm was even stronger than one in the Chongtian Realm. What was more, he had drawn forth a heavenly phenomenon while still in the Qi Gathering Realm.

"This is no simple blessing from the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth! This seems to be a heavenly phenomenon." Lu Chen felt the power in his body steadily growing stronger. "My physical strength is now several times greater than before."

"This has only just begun. Focus and comprehend it." A beam of azure-green light rose from the Azure Emperor Divine Tree and shot straight into the heavens.

"Dong..."

An even fiercer bell-like boom sounded from the sky.

The mist above Lu Chen's head vanished. Golden lotuses bloomed one after another in the sky around the two of them, accompanied by the ringing of bells.

One lotus, two lotuses, three lotuses...

More and more Golden Lotuses filled the sky, and a drop of Golden Liquid slowly formed upon them.

"Ding." The Golden Liquid fell.

One drop, two drops, three drops...

More and more Golden Liquid filled the sky, pattering down onto the Azure Emperor Divine Tree, where it was absorbed and purified before being scattered anew.

Part of it dripped down the branches onto Lu Chen and Nantian Wan'er, entering their Heavenly Pools through their meridians to perfect the Acquired Eight Trigrams Diagrams within them. Another part flowed onto the ground, replenishing the energy of the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram.

The branches and leaves of the Azure Emperor Divine Tree grew increasingly lush, and the Golden Liquid falling from it became ever more pure.

Washed by the Golden Liquid, faint golden light appeared upon Lu Chen and Nantian Wan'er's skin. This was the sign of Body Refinement Minor Success—Golden Dragon Skin Transformation.

The outline of the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram gradually became complete. Three blurry gears formed around its outer edge and began to rotate around the diagram.

"Innate fulfilled, acquired born. It is done." Seeing the outline of the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram take shape around them, the face chanted an incantation.

Two roots branched off from the Azure Emperor Divine Tree and pierced directly into Lu Chen and Nantian Wan'er's ankles. Two miniature Innate Eight Trigrams Diagrams formed at their ankles.

"What is this? A divine ability?" Lu Chen looked at the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram that had appeared at his ankle. It felt very much like a divine ability, and he could sense the power contained within it.

The face said, "This is the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram. It has now been returned to you. You may use it as you wish, but you must gather innate elements."

"Who exactly are you? Why are you helping us? Why do you want me to agree to you?" Lu Chen looked at the face on the Azure Emperor Divine Tree.

Lu Chen truly could not understand it. Why would this Azure Emperor Divine Tree, which had appeared out of nowhere, help him? Why would it give him such a powerful divine ability? Could it really be merely to make him agree to its request?

"There is no reason. I told you already: I am you, and you are me. This divine ability was originally cultivated by you. I am merely returning it to you now." The face spoke to Lu Chen without expression.

"When the time comes, you will naturally understand. Remember, if you truly understand and wish to bear the burden of the Myriad Worlds for me, call me through the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram. Remember: Time Flow never changes the past. It is merely that someone is bearing the consequences in your place."

As the voice faded, the face merged into the Azure Emperor Divine Tree and disappeared. The violent power within Lu Chen's body also gradually subsided with the face's disappearance.

Seeing the face on the Azure Emperor Divine Tree disappear, Nantian Wan'er asked, "Brother Lu, that power has vanished. What should we do next?"

"The phenomenon is about to end. Once it ends, we can break through the bottleneck and enter the Breath Regulation Realm. Then we'll go deep into the Fire Prison and find higher-quality Fire Essence to nourish your body."

The Golden Liquid dripping from the sky grew scarcer and scarcer, and the phenomenon slowly began to fade.

The final drop of Golden Liquid fell onto the Azure Emperor Divine Tree, flowing down its trunk all the way to its roots.

"Ding..."

A breeze swept past. Blue light flashed across the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram, and the Golden Liquid fell onto its center.

The dense Golden Liquid surged outward from the Azure Emperor Divine Tree as its center, instantly filling every gap in the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram with golden threads.

The Acquired Eight Trigrams Diagram in Lu Chen's Heavenly Pool seemed to be drawn by it and began imitating every movement of the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram.

The three outermost gears spun at high speed, and a pulling force opened the space of the Twin Fish Plate.

Carried by the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram, Lu Chen and Nantian Wan'er entered the Small World within the Twin Fish Plate.

The Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram rapidly expanded, covering the entire space.

The thick roots of the Azure Emperor Divine Tree in the center directly pierced through the ground of the Twin Fish Plate Small World, entering Lu Chen's Heavenly Pool and intertwining with the roots of the Azure Emperor Divine Tree within him.

Through the connection between the two Azure Emperor Divine Trees, the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram continuously transmitted power to the Acquired Eight Trigrams Diagram, and the speed at which the two rotated gradually approached equality.

Watching the changes within his Heavenly Pool and the Small World, Lu Chen seemed, for an instant, to see two worlds slowly assimilating.

"Tick... tick... tock."

A sound like a clock striking twelve rang out as the outermost gears of the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram and Acquired Eight Trigrams Diagram reached the same rotational speed.

This time, Lu Chen distinctly felt a crack appear in the boundary wall of his Heavenly Pool, slowly tearing open. Beyond that crack lay the Twin Fish Plate Small World.

"Bang..."

A crisp sound came from within the Heavenly Pool. Lu Chen and Nantian Wan'er's cultivation both broke through, entering the Breath Regulation Realm.

Lu Chen examined the information within his body again. Now, he and Nantian Wan'er shared a single Heavenly Pool, and their speed of absorbing spiritual energy for cultivation was dozens of times faster than before.

The spiritual energy within their bodies had all transformed into liquid. Spiritual energy absorbed from the outside would circulate through their meridians for one full cycle before directly becoming Spirit Liquid and entering the Heavenly Pool.

The blood and spiritual energy within their bodies also showed faint signs of gradually turning golden under the infusion of Golden Liquid.

"Little Lu, you made it through the Heavenly Tribulation?"

Wind Dragon had also been infused by the Golden Liquid. Covered in golden light, he awakened from his slumber.

"Primal Chaos Greatsword."

Lu Chen summoned the Primal Chaos Greatsword and smiled at Wind Dragon within it. "Fortunately, you helped us block one strike of the Heavenly Tribulation earlier. Otherwise, we would definitely have died here today."

"You have now entered the Breath Regulation Realm. Try releasing spiritual energy to attack the stone ahead."

Lu Chen swung the Primal Chaos Greatsword behind him and formed a hand seal with both hands. The spiritual energy within his body began circulating through his meridians, forming a crimson flying sword before him.

"Slash!" The flying sword shot toward a massive boulder with a crimson trail of light.

With a tremendous crash, the boulder shattered into pieces.

"So strong. A single blast of spiritual energy is already comparable to the full-force strike I could unleash with the Primal Chaos Greatsword when I was in the Breath Regulation Realm."