Golden Immortal Crossing Tribulation

Baize stared fixedly at the dark tribulation cloud rapidly gathering above Xuanqing's head, his expression shifting between light and dark.

The heavenly tribulation was both a trial for cultivators from the Heavenly Dao and a form of recognition.

But the heavenly tribulation also brooked no provocation.

If an outsider dared to strike at someone undergoing tribulation within the tribulation's range, the Heavenly Dao would immediately lock onto them. At that point, the power of the descending thunder punishment would multiply geometrically based on the intercessor's cultivation level.

Him, a Golden Immortal, intervening in another's Golden Immortal tribulation?

The thunder that descended then would likely no longer be a Golden Immortal tribulation, but the far stronger Primordial Unity Golden Immortal tribulation!

"Count yourself lucky!" Baize cursed bitterly.

He knew full well that this venture was a total loss today. Not only had he failed to capture his target, but he'd also lost several dozen Mysterious Immortal Demon Soldiers and a few Great Yi Mysterious Immortal Demon Generals. Even reporting back to Dijun would be a problem.

"We're leaving!"

Baize waved his feather fan, swept up the injured Demon Generals, transformed into a streak of light, and vanished over the horizon without looking back.

Xuanqing watched their fleeing backs and curled his lips.

"Leaving? Not so easy."

He had no intention of letting the Demon Race off just like that. This debt would be noted first, and later collected with interest.

For now, the top priority was dealing with the thing above his head.

"Boom!"

Within the black tribulation cloud, golden electric serpents writhed madly, and a destructive aura enveloped the area for a hundred miles.

This was the Demon Race's border—barren mountains and wild lands with mixed, impure spiritual energy. Far from a good place to undergo tribulation. If a few blind Demon Race members jumped out during the process, the joke would be on him.

"I have to return to Kunlun Mountain!"

Xuanqing's mind stirred, and the double Merit Golden Wheel within his sea of consciousness began spinning wildly.

A pillar of golden light, brighter than the sun, shot out from the crown of his head and plunged straight into the tribulation cloud.

The originally violent tribulation cloud, upon contact with this merit power, seemed like a tamed beast, its churning slowing down.

Those berserk thunderbolts were also wrapped in Merit Golden Light, temporarily suppressing their urge to erupt.

"It works!"

Joy surged in Xuanqing's heart.

This was the benefit of deep merit and fortune—even the Heavenly Dao had to show some face.

He dared not delay. Seizing the precious moment when the merit power suppressed the tribulation, he pushed his speed to the limit, transforming into a golden rainbow and racing toward Kunlun Mountain.

As he flew, the tribulation cloud above him followed, creating a strange spectacle.

Across the Honghuang, countless living beings witnessed this astonishing sight. A golden rainbow streaked across the sky, trailed by a vast, dark tribulation cloud like a loyal black dog.

"Who is that? Able to drag a heavenly tribulation along?"

"Look at that Merit Golden Light—must be a disciple of some great power."

"That direction—heading for Kunlun Mountain!"

Xuanqing had no time to mind others' gossip. He pushed his magical power to its limit, his speed inconceivably fast.

In just half a day, the Kunlun Mountain range appeared before him.

He didn't pause for a moment, charging straight toward his Cave Abode behind the Jade Void Palace.

Outside the cave, a young girl was pacing anxiously. It was Luyao, the spirit who had taken form and been named by Xuanqing. She suddenly sensed a familiar tribulation aura and her small face turned pale with fright.

"Quickly retreat, as far from the cave as possible!"

Xuanqing's voice rang in Luyao's ears.

Hearing this, Luyao dared not hesitate. She transformed into a white light and fled into the distance.

Xuanqing plunged headfirst into the cave and immediately activated all the protective formations. Since he knew he would undergo tribulation around this time, he had prepared in advance.

These formations were casually set up by Yuanshi Tianzun—simple, but with astonishing defensive power.

After doing all this, he sat down cross-legged and looked up at the sky above the cave.

"Come on!"

Xuanqing withdrew the merit power suppressing the tribulation.

"Boom, rumble!"

As if pent-up rage had finally found an outlet, the tribulation cloud expanded severalfold in an instant, enveloping the entire mountain peak.

Black clouds pressed down like a city; lightning flashed and thunder roared.

The first thunder tribulation had arrived!

A golden divine thunderbolt, thick as a water barrel, suddenly struck down from the tribulation cloud, hurtling straight toward Xuanqing.

"Gengjin Divine Thunder?"

Xuanqing's gaze sharpened.

The Golden Immortal tribulation was indeed extraordinary—the first bolt was already a thunder punishment renowned for its sharpness and destruction. He didn't try to withstand it head-on. With a thought, the Mysterious Yellow Merit Robe activated on its own, enveloping him in a thick, dark yellow light barrier.

"Crackle!"

The Gengjin Divine Thunder slammed viciously into the light barrier, erupting in blinding radiance. The barrier shook violently but ultimately held firm.

Before Xuanqing could catch his breath, the second and third divine thunders followed in rapid succession. One after another, each thicker than the last. The light of the Mysterious Yellow Merit Robe dimmed noticeably. Xuanqing dared not be careless; he summoned the Heaven-Covering Seal and suspended it above his head. The square seal let down streams of mysterious light, intertwining with the robe's glow to jointly resist the thunder tribulation.

After nine consecutive Gengjin Divine Thunders, the tribulation clouds in the sky spun even more fiercely. At the center of the clouds, a deep purple vortex appeared.

"Boom!"

The second wave of thunder tribulation descended. This time, it was no longer pure lightning, but lotus flowers formed from purple thunder. "Doutian Divine Thunder!" Xuanqing recognized the origin of this tribulation. The Doutian Divine Thunder was born from the Sha Qi scattered when Pangu split the heavens, fused with the Heavenly Dao's thunder punishment. It was not only immensely powerful but could also corrupt one's Primordial Spirit and destroy one's cultivation foundation. If an ordinary immortal so much as touched a wisp, at best their cultivation would regress; at worst, they would perish on the spot.

"Well met!" Xuanqing was not alarmed but delighted. His true form was the Purifying Mystic Bamboo, and nothing feared him more than this kind of filthy Sha Qi. He put away all his Magic Treasures and directly activated the Myriad Qi Returning to Yuan Purification Technique. Opening his mouth, he inhaled—and the purple thunder lotus charging toward him was swallowed whole in one gulp!

"Gulp." Xuanqing's body shuddered violently, countless purple arcs of electricity surfacing on his skin. A berserk destructive force rampaged inside him, trying to shatter his meridians. But at the same time, the primal power of the Purifying Mystic Bamboo was roused. A gentle cyan light rose from his dantian, and wherever it passed, the violent aura of the Doutian Divine Thunder was completely purified.

"Refreshing!" Xuanqing felt an utterly pure energy explode within him, and the stagnant bottleneck of his cultivation loosened once more. The tribulation clouds in the sky seemed angered by his actions. One lotus, two lotuses, three lotuses... Eighteen Doutian Divine Thunder lotuses in succession crashed down, blotting out the sky.

"Come as many as you like, I'll eat them all!" Xuanqing laughed heartily, letting himself go completely. He treated these Doutian Divine Thunders as great nourishment, refusing none and devouring them all into his belly. His body cycled endlessly between the thunder's descent and purification; his Dao body grew ever tougher, his Primordial Spirit ever more condensed. By the time he refined the last thunder lotus, his aura had climbed to the peak of the Great Yi Mysterious Immortal.

The tribulation clouds in the sky did not disperse; instead, they grew even more oppressive. All the dark clouds began to contract toward the center, eventually coalescing into a single, enormous, indifferent eye. The Eye of the Heavenly Dao! The third wave—the final wave—of thunder tribulation was coming. The eye blinked slowly, and a formless, colorless gray divine thunder descended swiftly. Chaos Divine Thunder! Xuanqing's expression finally turned serious. He dared not be overconfident. Within his sea of consciousness, the double Merit Golden Wheel blazed with light, firmly shielding his Primordial Spirit. The Chaos Divine Thunder pierced through the Cave Abode's formation, pierced through Xuanqing's physical body, and struck directly at his Primordial Spirit.

"Hum!" Xuanqing felt as if his head had been smashed by a stone; the whole world spun, and his consciousness began to blur. Above his Primordial Spirit, the Merit Golden Wheel trembled violently, its golden light rapidly consumed. But the power of the Chaos Divine Thunder was also worn away at great speed. After an unknown span of time, when the last wisp of gray thunderlight was ground down by the Merit Golden Wheel, Xuanqing's sea of consciousness fell still. The Eye of the Heavenly Dao in the sky gave him a deep look, then slowly faded away. The tribulation clouds retreated, replaced by boundless Auspicious Clouds and multicolored rosy clouds.