Bitter Bamboo Takes Form After Three Tribulations

As the Human Race multiplied and migrated, their footsteps reached farther and farther across the Primordial Wilderness, and Li Yu found the role of guardian of the Human Race increasingly difficult.

Fortunately, the Human Race as a whole had remained fairly stable over the years, with no major disturbances.

Li Yu had also wanted to expand the ranks of the Human Sect's disciples. With the Taiji Diagram and Heaven-Earth Dark-Yellow Exquisite Pagoda in Saint Taiqing's possession, suppressing the sect's fortune would be more than enough. Failing that, the Pure World White Lotus and Karmic Fire Red Lotus in his own hands could also suppress the sect's fortune.

However, the saintly sect leader was detached and inactive, and likely unwilling to have too many Human Race disciples. Thus, Li Yu had never widely recruited disciples for the Human Sect.

It was tiring, but once the War Between Witches and Demons ended and the Human Race's great enemy was gone, he could cast off this duty.

One day, Li Yu suddenly felt something stir within him. Calculating with his fingers, he discovered that something was about to happen at Five Villages Temple. He immediately left the Human Race and hurried toward Five Villages Temple.

Upon returning to Five Villages Temple, Li Yu went straight to where Bitter Bamboo was. At this moment, Bitter Bamboo, an innate spiritual root, swayed its trunk and branches, surrounded by the aura of the Great Dao.

"Is it about to take form?"

As Li Yu entered from outside, Zhen Yuanzi turned to glance at him and said, "It is about to take form!"

"From the looks of it, I'm afraid it won't go too smoothly."

Li Yu looked at the nearby Ginseng Fruit Tree. "It won't affect your Ginseng Fruit Tree, will it?"

"Rest assured, I prepared long ago. Nothing will go wrong. But taking form will still depend on Bitter Bamboo itself. If it were an ordinary plant spirit, we could lend a hand. But an innate spiritual root is different."

After speaking, Zhen Yuanzi first brought out eight banner flags and surrounded the Ginseng Fruit Tree with them. Each banner released light, forming an inverted glazed-bowl formation that enveloped the Ginseng Fruit Tree.

Seeing this, Li Yu was finally reassured. The Ginseng Fruit Tree was Zhen Yuanzi's most treasured possession; he would never joke about such a matter.

As for Bitter Bamboo, Zhen Yuanzi also waved out banner flags, though the formation around Bitter Bamboo had only three.

Zhen Yuanzi explained, "This formation can only weaken the power of the transformation lightning tribulation; it cannot block it. To take form, one must inevitably endure the pain of heavenly lightning tempering the body. With this formation, Bitter Bamboo will have a better chance of surviving."

"Other than the lightning tribulation, are there other tribulations?"

"There should also be a Wind Tribulation and a Fire Tribulation. Karmic fire burns the body, Astral Wind tempers the soul. Only by enduring all three tribulations can it take form," Zhen Yuanzi said.

As they spoke, the sky above Bitter Bamboo suddenly changed color. A tribulation cloud the size of an acre, heavy as a mountain and shaped like a vortex, pressed straight down.

At the sight, Li Yu and Zhen Yuanzi silently retreated some distance.

Moments later, Golden Serpents began falling from the center of the tribulation cloud. Passing through the formation, they struck Bitter Bamboo's trunk. Under the baptism of lightning, Bitter Bamboo began to sway violently.

Li Yu's heart immediately tightened, afraid that something might go wrong. After all, who knew how many years had passed since he first discovered Bitter Bamboo? It was much like a pet he had raised himself.

Fortunately, after swaying, Bitter Bamboo seemed to absorb the lightning tribulation, and the light around it grew even more dazzling.

Bolts of lightning tribulation fell one after another. More than half a shichen passed, and Bitter Bamboo absorbed no fewer than a hundred lightning strikes before the tribulation clouds finally dispersed and the skies cleared.

It had passed the first hurdle.

Before Bitter Bamboo could catch its breath, its entire trunk spontaneously ignited. Black flames spread everywhere, burning fiercely.

The flames were exceedingly strange. Though they clung to Bitter Bamboo's trunk, the trunk showed no changes at all. Not even a single leaf fell.

Another half a shichen passed before the black flames suddenly burrowed into Bitter Bamboo's trunk and vanished without a trace.

Then came the invisible tribulation of Astral Wind. It was formless and colorless; even Li Yu and Zhen Yuanzi could not see it. Yet this Astral Wind raged within Bitter Bamboo's primordial spirit.

Bitter Bamboo's endlessly trembling trunk demonstrated just how fearsome this Wind Tribulation was.

"The Lightning Tribulation and Fire Tribulation have already passed. This Wind Tribulation should pose no great problem either. Bitter Bamboo absorbed much Chaos Qi and Merit Power. I fear that throughout the Primordial World, no other plant spirit has a surer chance of taking form than him," Zhen Yuanzi said.

As he spoke, vast numbers of golden lotuses descended from the sky and all entered Bitter Bamboo's trunk. Then Bitter Bamboo's trunk shook several times, radiated rosy light, and transformed into a small child.

After landing, the child's big eyes darted constantly. The instant he saw Li Yu and Zhen Yuanzi, he scampered over on his little feet like a gust of wind.

"Zhu Lingzi pays respects to Grand Master and Master!"

Looking at Bitter Bamboo after he took form, Li Yu and Zhen Yuanzi were somewhat surprised. He clearly looked like a child, yet his mannerisms were remarkably mature, like those of an adult. He had even thought to give himself a name.

As if seeing Li Yu and Zhen Yuanzi's confusion, Zhu Lingzi said, "This disciple does not know what happened either. I originally wanted to take the form of a young man, but I ended up like this instead."

"That is not important!"

Zhen Yuanzi chuckled. "Whether you look like an adult or a child, you are still the first disciple under my seat."

Seeing Bitter Bamboo successfully take form, Li Yu finally relaxed.

"Now that you have taken form, do you have a spiritual treasure to protect yourself?" Li Yu asked.

"Of course I do."

After Zhu Lingzi spoke, he waved his small hand, and a stalk of green bamboo appeared in it. "This is the spiritual treasure formed from this disciple's original body, the innate spiritual root Bitter Bamboo. When facing an enemy, it can seal their senses and leave them at another's mercy."

"That is quite a fine spiritual treasure!"

Li Yu and Zhen Yuanzi exchanged a glance and knew that, in terms of grade, the spiritual treasure in Zhu Lingzi's hand was also a precious innate spiritual treasure.

"You have only just taken form, so first go stabilize your cultivation. From now on, follow your master and cultivate diligently. Do not waste such excellent talent and fortune for nothing," Li Yu said like the head of a household.

Five Villages Temple had many places suitable for secluded cultivation, so Zhen Yuanzi told Zhu Lingzi to find one for himself. As for teaching him cultivation methods, that could wait for a while.

After Zhu Lingzi departed, Li Yu looked at the clearly delighted Zhen Yuanzi and said, "Dao Brother, you know that I am now the deputy sect leader of the Human Sect, but I have no followers I can employ. Once Zhu Lingzi is able to leave his master's tutelage, could he join my Human Sect?"

Since he had promised Zhu Lingzi could enter Zhen Yuanzi's lineage, Li Yu felt he ought to discuss this matter with Zhen Yuanzi.

"How many people does your Human Sect have now?" Zhen Yuanzi asked.

"Those who may publicly claim the name of the Human Sect currently include one sect leader, one deputy sect leader, and one chief disciple," Li Yu said with a smile.

"A saint's great sect is actually like this?" Zhen Yuanzi could hardly believe it.

"The sect leader is detached and inactive, so he has never paid much attention to expanding the sect's followers," Li Yu said.

"Seeing how troubled you are, we shall do as you wish. But let me make this clear first: Zhu Lingzi will enter the Human Sect with his existing teachings. He already has the inheritance of a master."

After considering it, Zhen Yuanzi had no intention of founding a sect himself. If Zhu Lingzi could join the Human Sect, a saint's great sect, it would give him another layer of protection. It was a good thing, so he agreed to Li Yu's proposal.

"Of course. Your disciple will always be yours. No one can take him away!" Li Yu said with a smile.