Crossing the Tribulation (Please Keep Reading)

The next day.

Fang Qing was pondering a pill formula when he suddenly felt his cave abode tremble.

"It's here."

His heart stirred, and he walked out of the cave abode into the open.

Rumble!

Above the heavens, layer upon layer of fish-scale dark clouds gathered. Lightning flickered within them, carrying an unfathomable pressure.

"So this is... the Core Formation Heavenly Tribulation?"

Fang Qing murmured inwardly, To be able to trigger a heavenly tribulation... that Second-Order Horned Serpent must have successfully advanced, right? But after the core forms, crossing the tribulation is the most dangerous moment.

Feeling the unfathomable spiritual power within the heavenly tribulation, countless Qi Refinement cultivators trembled.

Roar!

A hiss came from the deepest part of the mountain gate, dragonlike yet serpentine, carrying an awe-inspiring majesty!

Crash!

The Seven Profound Azurewave Formation began operating at high speed. Emerald light suddenly blazed forth, shielding every corner of the sect.

"Today, this seat's spirit beast shall cross its tribulation. All disciples of my sect are to hold their positions and must not act rashly!"

A pleasant female voice, like jade beads falling onto a platter, rang out. Powerful Spiritual Sense swept across several miles, making Fang Qing's scalp prickle.

"We obey the Ancestor's command!"

On the main island, Sect Leader Linghu was the first to fly out and bow to a Core Formation female cultivator in midair, who resembled a goddess of the lake.

She wore a light-blue ruqun dress. Her bearing was like an orchid blooming in an empty valley, her features delicate, carrying the charm of a sheltered young lady.

Those meeting her for the first time would likely find it difficult to imagine that this woman was the Core Formation Ancestor of the Azure Sea Sect—Azure Wave Fairy, Ruan Zhixuan.

At this moment, Azure Wave Fairy paid little attention to the situation within the sect. Her beautiful eyes shifted as she looked toward the main island.

From a lake at the center of the island, a Horned Serpent suddenly crawled out. Its body was as thick as a vat, its blue-green scales each as large as a palm.

Even more astonishingly, the lump atop its head had vanished, replaced by a sky-blue horn!

This meant that its bloodline no longer belonged to the Horned Serpent race. It was now a Third-Order Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent!

Hiss! Hiss!

At this moment, tangible demon qi overflowed from the Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent's entire body. Its serpentine body coiled into a ring, its head raised toward the dark clouds overhead. Its vertical pupils held both a trace of fear and an eager, restless glint.

Crack!

A bolt of lightning descended, bright white in color and carrying stern might.

The Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent spat out an inner pill to block it. Having successfully evolved to the Third Order, what lay within its body was no longer a Second-Order Demon Core, but a genuine Third-Order Demon Pill!

Puff!

The blue inner pill was the size of an infant's fist. Within it seemed to surge a boundless expanse of azure waves, which transformed into layer upon layer of light screens.

Screech!

The first heavenly lightning bolt shattered every light screen and struck the demon qi, causing nearly half of it to collapse.

Immediately afterward, the second and third bolts of lightning crashed down!

At that very moment, an unexpected change arose!

"Zhong Xuanli... how dare you?!"

Ruan Zhixuan shouted sharply. The Seven Profound Azurewave Formation flared brightly, illuminating a figure.

He had the body of a youth, frost-white hair, and eyes carrying the weight of the ages. Ice Soul Mystic Light guarded him without the slightest gap. He was none other than the Zhong Family Ancestor—Zhong Xuanli!

"What is there for me to fear?"

The youth threw back his head and laughed. "If your spirit beast advances, then my Zhong Family will face a calamity that blots out heaven and covers earth!"

He formed hand seals with both hands. Under the illumination of the Ice Soul Mystic Light, a chill capable of freezing magical power spread in all directions, as if it meant to drag heaven and earth back to the ancient age of ice and snow.

Crack!

The world turned frost-white, and all the lake water froze solid.

Even the light barrier of the Seven Profound Azurewave Formation seemed to have become much more sluggish.

"Bold indeed. Unfortunately... if you are alone, then with me guarding this Third-Order Grand Formation, you will not find the slightest opening."

Ruan Zhixuan's Spiritual Sense swept through the surrounding void. "Where is Wandering Cultivator Yuyao? Come out as well!"

Wandering Cultivator Yuyao of the Heavenly Heart Chain Islands!

He too was one of the three Core Formation Ancestors of the Lesser Vast Sea and was especially skilled in puppet arts.

"Hehe... Fellow Daoist Ruan, Brother Zhong... this old Daoist merely came to mediate. We are all neighbors and ought to live in harmony..."

A flash of light streaked through the void, revealing an old Daoist with a face full of wrinkles. He rode atop a Winged Tiger Puppet, whose aura was unfathomable and seemed to possess the might of Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

"Hmph!"

Ruan Zhixuan said nothing.

Even if Wandering Cultivator Yuyao merely stood there, he placed immense pressure on the spirit beast currently crossing its tribulation.

Not to mention... the pressure of his aura, along with all kinds of interference.

Needless to say, the Zhong Family Ancestor was also attacking the formation by force without regard for the consequences.

Ruan Zhixuan had no doubt that if she revealed even the slightest flaw, Wandering Cultivator Yuyao might tear off all pretense and attack!

Crack!

While the three Core Formation Ancestors faced off, the lightning tribulation in the sky did not pause in the slightest. Bolts fell one after another, giving the Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent no chance at all.

Rumble!

At last, the sixth heavenly lightning bolt rolled down. Amid the incandescent lightning were flecks of green light.

The lightning struck down fiercely with an air of annihilation, blasting the Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent black from head to tail!

Bang!

The Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent let out a mournful cry. Its corpse fell to the ground and twitched as its aura rapidly dissipated.

"Haha... an orthodox Core Formation Heavenly Tribulation has nine bolts. Your spirit pet only held out until the sixth. It seems its foundation was lacking..."

Zhong Xuanli laughed loudly. With Ice Soul Mystic Light protecting his body, he drifted away from the battlefield. "What a false alarm... this old man shall take his leave!"

He had come solely to prevent the Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent from successfully advancing.

Now that his goal had been achieved, he naturally had to leave.

Otherwise... Wandering Cultivator Yuyao might instead turn on him!

In the Lesser Vast Sea, all words were empty. Only strength was real!

The Heavenly Heart Chain Islands were the weakest of the three factions. Thus, the other two sides instead helped whichever one was weaker, all to maintain a balance!

Now that the Zhong Family had attacked Jade Island while the Azure Sea Sect's Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent had failed its advancement, the balance of strength had reversed! No matter what benefits they had previously promised the Heavenly Heart Chain Islands, those promises could be withdrawn. They had to be on guard!

"Hmph, Zhong! I will repay today's humiliation!"

Ruan Zhixuan watched the Zhong Family Ancestor depart but did not pursue him. She then looked at Wandering Cultivator Yuyao, her tone teasing. "Why has the wandering cultivator not left yet? Could it be that you wish to beg a cup of spirit tea?"

"Hehe, that would not be unacceptable..."

Wandering Cultivator Yuyao smiled and nodded, secretly transmitting his voice. "Fellow Daoist... the Zhong Family exposed too much of its strength this time. And that Zhong Lingxiu truly possesses the bearing of Core Formation... perhaps our two families can join hands in dealing with this man."

Ruan Zhixuan's expression did not change. She secretly exchanged a few words with him, then watched Wandering Cultivator Yuyao leave.

Only after finishing all this did she descend in a streak of light, arriving beside the Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent's corpse.

Puff!

A beam of azure radiance appeared and turned into a blade, slicing open the Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent's abdomen and extracting that Third-Order Demon Pill.

"Ancestor..."

A blue-robed cultivator appeared behind Ruan Zhixuan. He was Sect Leader Linghu, his face lean and refined.

"What a pity. In the end, it fell just short..."

Seeing the charred serpent corpse, he revealed a regretful expression.

"The Flood Dragon bloodline within this spirit beast was still too thin. Even with the sect's full support, it could only withstand five bolts of heavenly lightning... even without outside interference, eight bolts would likely have been its limit."

Ruan Zhixuan remained exceptionally calm, without the slightest sign of fury.

"Alas... the chasm of Core Formation is truly difficult to cross." Sect Leader Linghu sighed, then fixed his gaze on the inner pill in Ruan Zhixuan's hand, his eyes burning.

"We have always left ourselves room to maneuver. It would have been best if the Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent could cross the lightning tribulation, but even if it could not, it still has its uses..."

Ruan Zhixuan suddenly sneered. "Actually, this is fine as well. Otherwise, upon seeing it successfully cross the tribulation, Wandering Cultivator Yuyao would absolutely have cast aside all dignity and joined Zhong Xuanli in attacking the Seven Profound Azure-Wave Formation..."

"Now that the tribulation has failed, he naturally retreated. Before leaving, he even sent me a voice transmission asking whether I intended to join forces against Zhong Lingxiu, that Core Formation seed. What fine impartiality..."

After hearing this, Sect Leader Linghu's expression did not change in the slightest. Clearly, he had long expected this. "Zhong Lingxiu condensed Spiritual Sense while still in Qi Refinement and has even mastered Ice-Soul Cold Radiance, a Second-Order technique only Foundation Establishment cultivators can cultivate. If he is not eliminated, he will surely become a grave threat in the future! The Heavenly Heart Chain Islands do not wish to see our side gain a second Core Formation combatant. Could they possibly wish to see the Zhong Family gain one? On this matter... I believe cooperation is possible."

"Forget it... you are the Sect Leader. You may decide."

Ruan Zhixuan toyed with the inner pill in her hand and suddenly gave a bewitching smile. "The Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent's failure to cross the tribulation has made the other two families lower their guard against us. This is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity... I shall use the Ancestor's secret Outer Core technique to refine this water-attributed demon beast inner pill into an Outer Core, the Tide-Birth Pearl. Its attributes suit you. After refining it, you will possess Core Formation combat strength and can catch Zhong Xuanli and Wandering Cultivator Yuyao off guard, wiping them out... We must settle this account properly!"

"The Ancestor's Outer Core method is truly wondrous!"

Sect Leader Linghu had only recently learned of this ingenious method and could not help but marvel at it.

"Azure Sea Ancestor was indeed a peerless genius... It is only a pity that the Outer Core he refined from the Demon Pill of a peak Third-Order Azure Flood Dragon was mysteriously lost. Otherwise, my Azure Sea Sect would have unified the Lesser Vast Sea long ago."

Ruan Zhixuan sighed somewhat, then suddenly looked at Sect Leader Linghu, her expression turning solemn once more. "This matter of the Outer Core must remain secret. It cannot be like the Flood Serpent matter this time."

At the mention of this, Sect Leader Linghu's expression immediately became stern. "The leak concerning the Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent last time... there must have been a traitor within our sect. Although we concealed it even from most Foundation Establishment elders, several special pills, as well as supplies of spiritual qi and blood food, were needed when the Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent advanced. Many hands had to handle those matters... so someone may indeed have noticed clues."

"Therefore... only Heaven knows, Earth knows, you know, and I know."

After giving this final instruction, Ruan Zhixuan transformed into a streak of light and vanished.

Sect Leader Linghu bowed deeply to the ground. A trace of heat seemed to flash in the depths of his eyes, but in an instant, his face became filled with grief. To Myriad Treasures, Heavenly Punishment, Heaven Cauldron, and the other Foundation Establishment elders who had arrived late, he said, "Our sect's revered spirit beast failed its tribulation and unfortunately perished..."

"Damn the Zhong Family!"

Elder Heavenly Punishment stared at the Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent's corpse, his eyes nearly splitting apart with rage.

"Enough... the Ancestor has already taken away the most important materials from the Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent. The remainder will be left to you two, Myriad Treasures and Heaven Cauldron... properly replenish the sect treasury, and prepare rewards for the disciples as well..."

Sect Leader Linghu returned to his usual shrewd demeanor. "The Zhong Family has achieved its purpose and will likely withdraw soon... the great war is over!"