Heavenly Tribulation.
Autumn's breath swept across the sky, and the mountains blazed red. It was autumn once more. Two figures stood atop Hanging Thunder Peak, surveying the lands from above the rolling thunderclouds.
Xu Xuan's gaze sharpened slightly as he watched a streak of autumn-yellow light recede into the distance. A bronze-gold boy led a youth in blue-and-gold robes away, flying with the aid of some secret treasure. Soon, they vanished from sight.
"I never expected Many Treasures to come so soon."
There was still some time before the date they had agreed upon, but the Bond Metal boy had come straight to Red Cloud, saying only that circumstances had changed and he needed to invite the youth over ahead of schedule.
Xu Ming was now thirteen and had entered Qi Refining. He had also possessed the Lesser Yang Receptacle for a full year, and its effects were plain to see: his cultivation had already reached the third tier, an astonishing pace.
Cultivation on the Lesser Yang path was never slow to begin with. Almost any cultivation resource could be put to use, an advantage that far surpassed the other paths. Even Greater Yang and Greater Yin could scarcely compare.
"Many Treasures follows the Hidden Metal Immortal Dao. They've merely sealed themselves away all these years. Who knows whether they'll intervene in matters ashore?"
Standing behind him, Liu Xiaowen spoke with a touch of emotion, then continued:
"To think the Xu have such origins. That would make them a distinguished lineage. No wonder they've produced so many cultivators."
"Don't you know what White Ridge is like? They're all mortals. What connection could they possibly have to that Immortal Clan?"
Xu Xuan shook his head and said leisurely:
"Only after I attained a Divine Ability could I be counted as the