"I did it!"
With a loud laugh, five-colored essence surged skyward from the cave dwelling where Fang Yang was cultivating, intertwining with the spiritual energy outside. For a moment, the mountain shook and the winds and clouds changed color.
Li Daoming stopped his lecture, a satisfied look on his face that stood in stark contrast to his words.
"Yes," Weiwei agreed.
The two walked out of the great hall. Outside, five-colored light shot into the sky, transforming at the horizon into a diagram of the Five Elements revolving, blotting out the sun and sky.
"The Five Elements Divine Light!"
"My disciple Fang Yang has the makings of a king!"
Li Daoming murmured to himself, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
He had lived a long time and seen many people and things.
The Five Elements Divine Light was no exception.
The emphasis in the Five Elements Divine Light was on the words "Five Elements," not "Light."
The reason many cultivators in Yao Guang Sacred Land struggled to master the Five Elements Divine Light was that they often took a misguided approach, trying to explain it through the true meaning of the Yaoguang Scripture. That was settling for the inferior path.
Though not everyone knew this principle, quite a few people did.
So why had so few cultivators in Yao Guang Sacred Land mastered the Five Elements Divine Light?
There was no other reason: talent and cost.
For ordinary people, what they could not comprehend, they simply could not comprehend. No matter how hard they tried, they would never succeed.
True prodigies aimed for the Primordial Sacred Light instead. Few chose the path of the Five Elements.
No one else would be as extravagant as Fang Yang, devoting part of his attention to comprehending the Five Elements Divine Light just to shore up the foundations of his Dao Palace Secret Realm.
And after the Dao Palace Secret Realm, the Five Elements Divine Light did not rank among the innate arts. Its power was a notch below the Primordial Sacred Light, so it was not worth cultivating deliberately.
Inside the cave dwelling, Fang Yang bathed in the Five Elements Divine Light. The five Dao Palaces within him stood wide open, their deities chanting scriptures and drawing in Dao force to form a complete Five Elements cycle.
"Still a little short..."
He sighed softly.
By evolving the Five Elements Divine Light through his Dao Palaces, he had already laid an incomparably solid foundation in the Dao Palace Secret Realm.
But the Mortal Body had its limits.
Even after incorporating two portions of Mortal Body Origin, he could not fully bear the Five Elements Divine Light. He needed a few more days to let them meld, replenishing his essence with his qi.
Now that the Five Elements Divine Light had just formed, forcing his way into the Four Extremities Secret Realm probably would not leave any lasting trouble.
But Fang Yang had always been cautious. When he needed to risk his life, he did so; when he needed to play it safe, he played it safe.
It would only take a few days.
The celestial phenomenon faded from the horizon.
Li Daoming casually formed a message talisman and sent it toward the Yaoguang Side Hall.
His disciple had made him proud. As his master, he ought to help out a little more.
Lecturing and providing resources were only a master's most basic duties.
"Senior Brother, since your grand-disciple is doing so well, surely it wouldn't be a big deal to lend him the Dragon-Patterned Black Gold Cauldron for a few days so he can study it?"
Li Daoming remained lost in thought for a long while.
He thought of his eldest disciple, Yao Guang.
Just from the name Yao Guang, it was clear how high his hopes for this disciple had been.
An old friend had passed away, and now another disciple had displayed brilliance rivaling the Brightness Physique despite possessing a Mortal Body.
Would he once again have to bury a younger generation before his time?
Li Daoming raised his head to gaze at the sky.
Weiwei stood gracefully beside him. With the keen perception unique to her Immortal Spirit Eye, she sensed the deep sorrow in her master's heart, but all she could do was stay by his side and wait for him to work through it on his own.
Three days later.
A gloomy cloud suddenly appeared in the previously clear, cloudless sky, hanging over the mountain peak.
"Has Li Daoming made a breakthrough?"
"That can't be right. He's so old, and he can still advance?"
Yao Guang Sacred Land covered a vast area, but the tribulation clouds gathering on the horizon could hardly escape the notice of cultivators with wondrous eye techniques.
Many began to speculate. Was Li Daoming, the long-serving elder, about to advance further and become an Immortal Second Realm Mighty Figure?
The difference between a half-step Mighty Figure and an Immortal Second Realm Mighty Figure seemed to be only half a step, but their status in Yao Guang Sacred Land was worlds apart.
In the past, many had respected Li Daoming mostly because his senior brother was the Holy Lord of Yaoguang.
If he really managed to break through, then...
At least half of those people would come to revere him for his strength as an Immortal Second Realm Mighty Figure.
"Something's wrong. These tribulation clouds are too weak."
"This looks more like a Dragon Transformation Tribulation..."
"When did Li Daoming take on a disciple? After his disciple with the Brightness Physique died, didn't he stop accepting disciples?"
The tribulation clouds at the horizon had long been poised to strike, lightning flashing and thunder rumbling, before a bolt of purple lightning came crashing down.
A figure shot out from the mountain peak, facing the terrifying bolt head-on.
Primordial Sacred Light Art!
In an instant, a sphere of light even larger than the thundercloud swallowed the entire mountain.
The purple lightning fell into it like a breeze sweeping across a lake, stirring not the slightest ripple.
Fang Yang stood proudly in midair, doing nothing but channeling the Primordial Sacred Light Art to fend off the lightning descending from the sky.
He was no Desolate Ancient Sacred Body or Divine Body. His flesh was comparatively "fragile," so using a Saint Technique to block the Heavenly Tribulation was the best choice.
Unlike Fang Yang's calm composure, however, the onlookers watching from afar had erupted:
"Ancestors above, are my eyes deceiving me? Breaking through to the Four Extremities Secret Realm can actually bring down a Heavenly Tribulation?"
"The Primordial Sacred Light is so pure it can withstand lightning tribulation of this magnitude. This young fellow is no ordinary person!"
"I've found out who he is. His name is Fang Yang, and Li Daoming took him in two years ago. That old fellow sure is lucky: first a Brightness Physique, and now a genius who's drawn the Four Extremities Heavenly Tribulation."
Whether advancing to the Four Extremities Realm brought a Heavenly Tribulation was the simplest standard for judging whether a cultivator was a first-rate prodigy.
Not having a Four Extremities Heavenly Tribulation did not necessarily mean someone was mediocre.
But drawing a Four Extremities Heavenly Tribulation meant they were one of the top prodigies in the Eastern Wasteland.
"The Yaoguang Holy Son has a rival now!"
Someone voiced that sentiment.
Reaching the Dao Palace Secret Realm in two years and drawing a Four Extremities Heavenly Tribulation—his displayed talent was already no worse than the Yaoguang Holy Son's.
"How many Candidate Holy Sons have challenged the Yaoguang Holy Son over the years? Have you ever seen any of them defeat him?"
"Fang Yang? He's still a long way off!"
A supporter of the Yaoguang Holy Son retorted, unable to stomach some newcomer to the Sacred Land acting as if he could lord it over their master.
The person who had been contradicted did not dare provoke that pack of mad dogs. He could only keep quiet and let the matter rest.
"Hmph!"
The Yaoguang Holy Son's supporter snorted and finally stopped making threats.
The tribulation did not end.
While everyone continued arguing—
The ninth bolt of purple lightning came crashing down, barely punching a gaping hole in the Primordial Sacred Light barrier.
Violet light flickered.
Fang Yang thrust out his right palm. It was as if a divine peak came crashing down, crushing every last strand of lightning.
In an instant, the wind died and the waves stilled.
"He made it through!"
"Another Candidate Holy Son."
"Don't worry about it. There are plenty of Candidate Holy Sons, and quite a few official Holy Sons have been appointed as well. He's only a Mortal Body, after all. He can't stir up any trouble."
The cultivators watching Fang Yang from afar had mixed opinions. Some wanted to attach themselves to him, some kept their distance, and others resented him because of factional rivalries.
Boom!
The Heavenly Tribulation did not pause at anyone's will.
Under everyone's astonished, stunned gazes—
A sea of lightning descended!!!
Before you continue