"Junior Brother, Junior Sister, hurry and take the Mage Birdcage to the Tribulation Ground Master picked out!
Remember, you absolutely must bury the Six Roots Seven Spirit Iron underneath it!"
"Yes, Senior Brother!"
Li Changshou hurriedly gave his orders. Li Yang and Lan Ling'e didn't waste any time either. They hoisted the Mage Birdcage and flew toward the back mountain in a rush.
Meanwhile, Li Changshou took out the Melting Immortal Pill and began preparing Old Daoist Qi Yuan.
"Master, this is a Precious Pill my Junior Brother and I painstakingly refined. It can help you survive one Heavenly Tribulation. If you feel you can't withstand the next one, take it immediately."
Old Daoist Qi Yuan was deeply moved. He smiled at Li Changshou, then turned to look at Li Yang, who was doing his best to hurry toward the back mountain on his cloud. He said softly, "You're both good children. Keep this Precious Pill for yourselves. There's no need to waste it on me."
Li Changshou let out a cry of grief and dropped to his knees, holding the Jade Box up in both hands.
"I'll remember your kindness, Master, but we still have more of this Precious Pill, and each Qi Practitioner can only use one. So please, Master, you must accept it."
Old Daoist Qi Yuan hesitated. "Is that really true?"
"I swear it on the Great Dao!"
"Very well!"
Seeing how earnestly Li Changshou spoke, Old Daoist Qi Yuan accepted the Jade Box.
"Come on, let's head to the back mountain! We can't let the Heavenly Tribulation destroy our home."
By then, the Gray Cloud flying in from the east was almost at the Immortal Crossing Sect. Seeing this, the two wasted no time and rushed toward the back mountain on their clouds.
On the way, Li Changshou was still terribly worried. "Master, conserve your mana.
Master, have you prepared enough pills?
What about healing pills?
And pills to restore your energy?
Also, Master..."
Li Changshou went on and on, just like parents from his previous life sending their child off to take an exam.
"I'm prepared. I've got everything ready."
Old Daoist Qi Yuan wasn't annoyed. On the contrary, he was deeply comforted.
So many years had passed in the blink of an eye. The child from back then had grown into a capable young man. His path might have been a little wild, and his branches a little crooked, but none of that mattered.
It truly hadn't been a waste to use the last of Lesser Qiong Peak's resources on him. In truth, all he had ever wanted was for Li Changshou to become an immortal without a hitch.
He did feel a little sorry for Li Yang and Ling'e. They were so talented, but they had come along too late. If he'd had more time to prepare, perhaps he could have gathered most of the resources they needed.
But now...
"Changshou, I've never asked you for anything, but this time, you must promise me.
If I can't survive the Heavenly Tribulation, I'm leaving Lesser Qiong Peak in your hands. Remember, you must take good care of your Junior Brother and Junior Sister.
If the sect wants to take back our peak, don't resist. Just follow the sect's arrangements.
I've already asked a few fellow disciples I know well. They'll take you to cultivate on other peaks.
And..."
Old Daoist Qi Yuan rambled on too, but this wasn't idle chatter. He was making his final arrangements.
He knew his own situation. He had no chance of surviving the Tribulation. But as a Qi Practitioner, how could he accept that without a fight?
The Great Dao had fifty branches, while Heaven's workings revealed forty-nine; the one that escaped was the hope of life.
So even in the direst circumstances, there was a sliver of hope. If he took his chance, perhaps he really could survive. And even if he didn't, at least he wouldn't have lived in vain!
"Master, you'll definitely survive the Heavenly Tribulation!" Li Changshou said firmly.
With the Melting Immortal Pill, as long as Master survived the first Thunder Tribulation and took the pill, he wouldn't perish beneath the Heavenly Tribulation.
"Come on, Senior Brother, enough of all this sentimental talk. We've got everything ready, so hurry and get Master inside."
Li Yang was embarrassed just listening. After all, he knew what was really going on. They could cut the heartfelt moment short—otherwise, the embarrassment later would be even worse.
"Right!"
At Li Yang's words, Li Changshou didn't hesitate. He shut Master inside the Mage Birdcage, then took out a large pile of Jade Boxes and shoved them into Master's hands. Finally, all three of them hurriedly flew backward.
At the same time, the Gray Cloud appeared above the Immortal Crossing Sect, shrouding it in darkness.
Li Changshou shouted, "Master, resist with all your strength! You can't use the Precious Pill until after the first Heavenly Tribulation!"
On the other side, Li Yang took out four Small Red Flags and handed two to Lan Ling'e. Then he waved his flag with all his might.
"Come on, Master! You're the best!"
"Master, you can do it!"
"Believe in yourself! Survive the Tribulation and become an immortal!"
"Master, for your own sake, you have to give it your all!"
The two shouted a jumble of things, but for some reason, it was pretty rousing.
Inspired by his two adorable disciples, Old Daoist Qi Yuan's blood ran hot too. He nodded vigorously at them, then looked up at the Tribulation Cloud with a grave expression. Mana surged through him, and his sleeves and robe fluttered in the wind as he roared at the cloud.
"Today, I'll stake everything on the immortal path I've pursued all my life. I'll fight against fate itself.
Heavenly Tribulation... come!"
For a moment, Old Daoist Qi Yuan felt like a hero destined to fight Heaven itself.
Utterly cool!!!
So handsome!!!
Then a dragon's roar came down from the clouds. A thousand-zhang-long Azure Dragon, its body gleaming with crimson scales of fire, burst out of the Gray Cloud and slammed its claws against the Mountain Protecting Array.
The Mountain Protecting Array surged with light. The peaks trembled, and the earth rumbled everywhere!
"Who's in charge of the Immortal Crossing Sect? Come out and answer me!"
Wait!
An Azure Dragon?
It was speaking?
Old Daoist Qi Yuan, Li Changshou, and Lan Ling'e looked up at the sky and sensed that something was wrong.
The Gray Cloud was outside the Mountain Protecting Array. It didn't have the ability to disregard all formations.
There was pressure, but it wasn't the might of Heaven.
Most importantly, the Gray Cloud covered far too large an area.
Li Changshou and Old Daoist Qi Yuan had both watched others undergo Tribulation Transcendence. No matter how large a Tribulation Cloud was, it shouldn't cover the entire Immortal Crossing Sect!
Once every impossible explanation had been ruled out, whatever remained—however uncertain—had to be the truth.
Li Changshou turned to look at Li Yang. He'd survived Tribulation Transcendence himself, and his Heavenly Tribulation had ranked fourth. He was the authority on the subject.
Li Yang didn't nod at Li Changshou. He just grinned, his eyes full of amusement as he watched the show.
That proved it. This bastard had figured it out ages ago and had been standing by to watch the whole time.
Lan Ling'e tilted her head and asked curiously, "Huh? Isn't that Master's Tribulation Cloud?"
Li Changshou couldn't help raising a hand to his forehead. She'd brought up the one thing they shouldn't mention.
Old Daoist Qi Yuan, standing inside the Mage Birdcage, heard her and twitched at the corners of his mouth. Then he silently turned around and slowly crouched down.
Taiqing above, this was the most humiliating moment of his life!
Faced with such an awkward scene, Lan Ling'e and Li Changshou silently looked up at the sky in unison.
They hadn't seen a thing. Not even Master.
But someone just had to ruin it.
Li Yang's voice drifted over. "It's fine, Master. Just think of this as Senior Brother arranging a special Tribulation Transcendence drill for you... Mmmph!"
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