I instinctively looked up.
My gaze pierced through the void.
Billions upon billions of miles away, endless thunder tribulations began to gather. Most importantly, a faint, broken Golden Crow silhouette could be seen among them.
The Golden Crow's gaze was filled with hatred, as if he wanted to force the tribulation down and eliminate this Wu Clan member who was about to be born.
But the Heavenly Tribulation held him back.
He was even astonished to discover that the gathered tribulation power was far weaker than that of other beings who had reached Great Luo Golden Immortal. It only left him with anger he couldn't vent.
At the same time, Chu Xuan's gaze shifted, and he was a little surprised as well.
"I didn't expect him to be the one bringing down the tribulation!"
Chapter Nineteen: Hou Yi Faces His Tribulation! Severing the Immortal Dao's Fortune! (Please vote with flowers and monthly tickets)
It wasn't the fact that the other party was bringing down the tribulation that surprised him. Rather, it was the other party's turn to be surprised.
Although Eastern Emperor Taiyi had suffered a backlash from the Heavenly Tribulation Dao Fruit, he had ultimately refined it for a time and devoured a great deal of the Heavenly Tribulation Law.
Even after distributing the six Dao Fruits among the other Great Luo Golden Immortals of the demon race, he still couldn't free himself from them anytime soon.
Separating himself from the Heavenly Tribulation Dao Fruit would take quite a while.
And because so many places in the Primordial Wilderness now needed tribulations brought down upon them, even with the six Dao Fruits sharing the burden, he had still been driven into action. Clearly, this Golden Crow Quasi-Saint, the demon race's second Heavenly Emperor, would be tied up in the affairs of the Heavenly Tribulation for quite some time.
Chu Xuan had spent a while refining Pangu Essence Blood in Pangu Hall. By the time he came out, several decades had passed.
Now, even if this Golden Crow Heavenly Emperor wanted to delay things, Heavenly Dao would never allow it. That was why they had crossed paths now.
"Fortunately, we set strict rules forbidding those who bring down tribulations from interfering with them. Otherwise, he really might have gotten his way!"
Chu Xuan smiled.
Houtu Ancestor Wu, watching from the shadows, had clearly seen the Golden Crow Heavenly Emperor bringing down the tribulation. She found it somewhat amusing, too.
Eastern Emperor Taiyi, concealed within the Tribulation Cloud, looked truly miserable at that moment.
Several decades had passed, yet the Dao injuries on Eastern Emperor Taiyi were nowhere near healed.
All twelve Ancestral Shamans who had attacked him were Great Divine Ability Users or greater. Their laws had pierced his body, leaving eternal marks that he couldn't erase anytime soon.
Even his projections were still suffering the consequences and couldn't manifest fully.
Dragging his injured body around, constantly manifesting in countless forms and bringing tribulations down upon the Primordial Wilderness—anyone who saw him would fall silent.
More than anything, it was humiliating.
There were quite a few powerful beings in the Primordial Wilderness who could see through Tribulation Clouds. At the very least, any Great Luo Golden Immortal could do so.
After all, the highest level of tribulation the Heavenly Tribulation could bring down now was for beings breaking through to Great Luo Golden Immortal.
Once they reached Great Luo Golden Immortal, they had escaped tribulation.
Perhaps Chu Xuan and Houtu's gazes were too brazen. Eastern Emperor Taiyi, in the midst of the tribulation, sensed them and abruptly looked their way.
Then, a startling blaze of fury erupted in his eyes.
Because he saw Houtu, one of the chief culprits who had landed him in this predicament.
In Eastern Emperor Taiyi's view, if the Twelve Ancestral Shamans hadn't suddenly interrupted him, then even with the fundamental strength of the Heavenly Tribulation Great Dao, he wouldn't have been badly injured. At worst, he would have failed to refine it.
His current predicament was entirely the result of the Twelve Ancestral Shamans' sneak attack.
That only made him angrier.
Before, it had been a struggle over the Great Dao. Now, old grudges had joined new ones.
He wished he could seize control of the Heavenly Tribulation right then and bring it down upon Houtu.
Unfortunately, as the executor of the Heavenly Tribulation, no matter how furious he was, he couldn't escape his duty.
After Chu Xuan and the other Heavenly Tribulation Dao Ancestors had restricted the Heavenly Tribulation Authority, it had no power left—only obligations.
In the end, he could only look deeply at Houtu before turning back to prepare to bring the tribulation down upon the Great Witch who was about to break through.
As for Chu Xuan, he didn't care about him at all.
Just an ant of a Taiyi Golden Immortal.
Since he couldn't target Houtu, he could only urge the Heavenly Tribulation to its utmost, hoping to change something.
But after trying for a long time, he still couldn't change anything.
Just as he had sensed before, the Heavenly Tribulation was still much weaker.
"The Wu Clan has no Primordial Spirit, so their tribulations are weaker? What kind of reasoning is that!"
Sensing the various messages coming from the Heavenly Tribulation, Eastern Emperor Taiyi grew even angrier.
He couldn't understand why Heavenly Dao would leave such a loophole. The Wu Clan were already stronger than Immortal Dao cultivators before reaching Great Luo Golden Immortal. Wouldn't this let the Wu Clan pass their tribulations with ease?
Heavenly Dao was unjust!
Eastern Emperor Taiyi seethed with resentment.
But he could do nothing about it.
He had no idea that this wasn't Heavenly Dao's doing. It was a loophole Chu Xuan had deliberately left, along with a reason to justify it.
"Isn't this a little too weak?"
As an Ancestral Shaman, Houtu could clearly see that the tribulation enveloping Hou Yi was far too weak.
She frowned.
She should have been glad that her clan member faced less danger, but it wouldn't be good if this interfered with something important.
At her words, Chu Xuan smiled and explained to Houtu from the shadows.
"The Wu Clan has no Primordial Spirit, so their tribulations should naturally be a little weaker!"
"The Three Disasters and Nine Calamities, even the Thunder Tribulation, are designed more to target the changes of the delicate Primordial Spirit!"
"Heavenly Dao is impartial. The Wu Clan has no Primordial Spirit, so why should they face tribulations just like beings who do?"
"If they can, they should try body cultivation!"
"What's more, stronger tribulations have their own benefits. The Wind Calamity blows at the Primordial Spirit, while the Fire Calamity and Water Calamity similarly temper it!"
"Our Wu Clan can only envy them that opportunity!"
Chu Xuan spoke casually, leaving Houtu speechless.
He wasn't making things up. Even for a Heavenly Tribulation Dao Ancestor to alter the tribulations through his authority and leave a loophole, he needed a reason.
Tribulations did benefit the growth of immortals.
But the Wu Clan didn't need to care about those benefits. The Wu Clan were already one of the strongest races, and no amount of tempering through tribulations could compare to the countless laws the Wu Clan were born with.
Besides, the Heavenly Tribulation had been established to halt the Heavenly Court's momentum. That momentum had already been cut off, no matter what. The Heavenly Court had accumulated endless Karma and the resentment of countless races. Sooner or later, it would all erupt.
"Of course, the Heavenly Court has already lost a leg. Next, it really is time to target Immortal Dao. If I follow through with my next plan and combine it with the Heavenly Tribulation, I may truly be able to sever half of Immortal Dao's fortune!"
"Hongjun wants to usher in the Quasi-Saint Era? Then let's see who comes out on top!"
Chu Xuan's spirit soared, and a glint flashed in his eyes.
Houtu watched Chu Xuan, who was clearly different from the other members of the Wu Clan. Her beautiful eyes shifted, but she said nothing more.
Before long, the distant tribulation had finally finished brewing.
Eastern Emperor Taiyi, who had been waiting eagerly, brightened.
At last, he struck.
He brought the tribulation down with everything he had.
Unfortunately, the rules were too strict. Even though he used all his strength and paired the limited power at his disposal with battle techniques, he still couldn't threaten this member of the Wu Clan.
The Wu Clan were already powerful, and the tribulation was far too weak.
A Wind Calamity swept through the void, turning even space into dust, but it couldn't shake the Wu Clan's True Body.
Water and Fire Calamities flared across the Wu Clan member's body, but they couldn't corrode or burn him.
The burly man bearing a great bow on his back—Hou Yi—passed through them with ease.
As for the Nine Calamities' tribulation energy, it couldn't even shake the Wu Clan's formidable True Body.
His blood and qi surged slightly, crushing space. His boundless vitality scattered the Nine Calamities' tribulation energy in an instant.
Eastern Emperor Taiyi was hopping mad at the sight.
Only when the Nine Heavens Thunder Tribulation descended did Hou Yi finally take it seriously.
Faint scorch marks appeared on his body.
But before Eastern Emperor Taiyi could celebrate—
Before you continue