Taking Form Under Heavenly Punishment

Master Tongtian snorted coldly and ignored Daoist Zhunti. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the Profound Origin Water Control Banner before him.

By now, the Heavenly Punishment had fully condensed, and everyone flashed away to a distance of a thousand li.

"Something's not right. Isn't the script supposed to be Saints fighting to take transmigrators as disciples? Why is it that when it comes to me, Chen Xuan, every last one of them is avoiding me like the plague?"

While Chen Xuan was muttering nonsense to himself, the first Heavenly Punishment lightning bolt descended.

A bolt as thick as a water barrel struck the Profound Origin Water Control Banner directly, making Chen Xuan's soul tremble.

After Chen Xuan endured that lightning bolt, his compatibility with the Profound Origin Water Control Banner became even more perfect.

At the same time, Chen Xuan's soul grew stronger and was no longer as frail as it had been before.

However, the pain surging from the depths of his soul left Chen Xuan no time to sense any of it.

The second lightning bolt descended immediately afterward, its diameter roughly twice that of the first.

The third was roughly twice as thick as the second.

The fourth was roughly twice as thick as the third...

A full nine Heavenly Punishment lightning bolts fell, blasting the spot where Chen Xuan was into a massive pit a hundred li deep.

Under Chen Xuan's soul control, the Profound Origin Water Control Banner still floated in midair. However, it had already begun to show signs of weakness.

Meanwhile, the expressions of those standing a thousand li away varied greatly.

Jieyin and Zhunti of the West half-closed their eyes, as though the matter had nothing to do with them.

Yuanshi Tianzun kept shaking his head and sighing, while Taishang Laozi watched everything unfold with a blank expression.

Goddess Nvwa, however, wore an anxious expression and silently cheered Chen Xuan on in her heart.

Only Tongtian differed from the others. His expression was gloomy, and his fists were clenched tightly.

Unable to continue turning a blind eye, he finally sent a secret voice transmission. "Senior Brothers, can we truly not lend him a hand?"

Yuanshi Tianzun's voice soon rang out in Tongtian's mind. "This Heavenly Punishment has eighty-one lightning bolts in total, and each one is twice as powerful as the last.

"Even if the three of us joined forces, with our Great Luo Golden Immortal Peak cultivation, we could only barely handle them. Even if we helped him survive the tribulation, our losses would be enormous.

"Given Daoist Zhunti's shameless nature, he would certainly make a move to seize the Profound Origin Water Control Banner in the end. Yet the three of us would have no strength left to contend with him."

Although Taishang Laozi said nothing, he nodded at Tongtian, indicating his agreement with Yuanshi Tianzun's view.

"If we had not forcibly taken the Thirty-Sixth Grade Creation Green Lotus, how could his aura have been exposed? By that account, we owe him Karma."

"Since Senior Brothers have chosen to protect themselves, this Taoist will repay this Karma." After sending that secret transmission, Tongtian shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

At the same time, Master Tongtian drew the Qingping Sword and slashed directly at the tenth lightning bolt.

"Do not panic, little friend. This Taoist will help you survive this Heavenly Punishment." As he spoke, Master Tongtian severed the tenth lightning bolt and stood above Chen Xuan.

Warmth rose in Chen Xuan's heart, but this was not the time for him to offer thanks. The eleventh lightning bolt was already descending.

Tongtian wielded the Qingping Sword and continuously slashed at the lightning bolts, ultimately cutting apart twenty-seven Heavenly Punishment lightning bolts in succession.

By then, Tongtian was already at the end of his strength. Yet only forty percent of the Heavenly Punishment had passed, and the remaining fifty percent, with even more terrifying power, still awaited them.

After this period of respite, Chen Xuan slowly recovered. Controlling the Profound Origin Water Control Banner, he soared into the sky.

He positioned himself above Tongtian and said, "Thank you, Immortal Elder, for intervening at my moment of life and death. If I survive today by some stroke of luck, I am willing to take you as my master."

After he spoke, the Profound Origin Water Control Banner slowly expanded. In the end, its pole plunged roughly a hundred li into the ground, while its triangular banner fluttered in the wind, spanning dozens of li in every direction.

With a sweep of its triangular banner, it sent the panting Tongtian back a thousand li away.

The Heavenly Punishment in the sky gave Chen Xuan no chance to catch his breath. Bolt after bolt roared down at the Profound Origin Water Control Banner.

Watching holes appear in the triangular banner and seeing its pole no longer stand as straight as before,

Tongtian's face filled with anxiety. Ignoring Taishang Laozi and Yuanshi Tianzun's attempts to stop him, he charged toward Chen Xuan once more.

Taishang Laozi shook his head helplessly and waved his hand. A purple-golden gourd flew toward Tongtian.

Tongtian caught the Purple Golden Gourd, turned back, and nodded to Taishang Laozi. Then he charged once more toward the Heavenly Punishment without hesitation.

At the same time, Tongtian opened the Purple Golden Gourd and swallowed a Nine Revolutions Golden Pill gleaming with golden light. His cultivation instantly returned to its peak state.

"Do not worry, little friend. Let this Taoist block a few more bolts of Heavenly Punishment for you. Use these Nine Revolutions Golden Pills to restore your magical power first." As he spoke, Tongtian tossed the Purple Golden Gourd to Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan did not stand on ceremony. More importantly, he was in no position to do so. Barely enduring eighteen Heavenly Punishment bolts just now had already drained every last bit of his strength.

With a curl of the banner's corner, he caught the Purple Golden Gourd. Nine Revolutions Golden Pills poured out one after another, then vanished into the triangular banner.

Taishang Laozi's face twitched at the sight from a thousand li away. "That is an entire gourd of Nine Revolutions Golden Pills. Even after Third Brother swallowed one, there were still ninety-nine left!"

Goddess Nvwa could not help finding Taishang Laozi's pained expression amusing.

Then she tossed the Nine Heavens Breath Soil she had just obtained toward Chen Xuan.

When the Nine Heavens Breath Soil reached Chen Xuan's feet, it instantly filled the hundred-li-deep pit.

Streams of earth Elemental Power immediately entered Chen Xuan's body through the banner pole.

At the same time, the ninety-nine Nine Revolutions Golden Pills began providing Chen Xuan with an unceasing supply of magical power.

Tongtian's face lit up with joy. He immediately pointed the Qingping Sword in his hand and shouted, "Foolish child, if you do not take form now, when will you?"

Tongtian's shout was like Esoteric Empowerment to Chen Xuan, causing him to open his eyes at once.

The enormous Profound Origin Water Control Banner then emitted waves of mysterious light. Within that light, Chen Xuan was condensing the Profound Origin Water Control Banner into his own physical body.

At the same time, the Nine Heavens Breath Soil beneath him began to be slowly absorbed by Chen Xuan. In the end, a pure land appeared within his divine sense.

A small tree broke through the soil, bearing one gleaming Nine Revolutions Golden Pill after another.

A small black banner floated above the pill tree, continuously giving off waves of mysterious light.