Jiang Changsheng spent the entire night circling about, yet found no expert within or outside the capital who could contend with him. The strongest True Qi in the city belonged to Jiang Yu. The two were openly on good terms for now, and Jiang Yu could not possibly make a move against him.
After returning to his room, Jiang Changsheng began circulating his cultivation, first storing spiritual power in case he lacked it later.
The moon sank and the sun rose.
The capital's winters still saw sunlight. Though Great Jing had endured wars year-round, the capital remained prosperous. To the common people, beneath the Son of Heaven's feet was the safest place.
Rumble—
Thunder suddenly rang out, reverberating through the entire capital. Countless commoners, soldiers, and nobles turned to look, only to see dark clouds gathering atop Dragon Arising Temple's mountain, churning into thunderclouds. The snow filling the sky melted into watery mist that wound around Dragon Arising Temple, making it seem like an immortal abode, appearing and vanishing through the haze.
Lightning stood out sharply amid the vast fog. In the winter daylight, the sight was all the more spectacular.
"Is that Dragon Arising Temple?"
"I heard Changsheng Taoist Priest once underwent a Thunder Tribulation. Could it be happening again?"
"Is that real? I thought Dragon Arising Temple was spreading rumors."
"It's true. Some pilgrims saw Changsheng Taoist Priest floating in the air, resisting lightning like an immortal."
"Today, I'll see for myself what's true and what's false."
The city's residents discussed it heatedly.
Within the imperial palace, Jiang Yuan emerged from the Imperial Study with the Empress supporting him, walking with a trembling, unsteady gait as he looked toward the distant Dragon Arising Temple.
The Empress had taken a Youth Preservation Pill and retained her youthful appearance, but Jiang Yuan looked seventy or eighty years old. He had grown far thinner, and even walking made him tremble. He said, "That young Taoist Changsheng is undergoing tribulation again. I am curious whether he truly is weathering a tribulation, or merely putting on a show."
The Empress smiled. "Naturally, he is merely putting on a show. Martial artists do not need to undergo tribulations."
Jiang Yuan said, "I always feel that he is not putting on a show. Take the Youth Preservation Pill, for example. Is it not miraculous? No famed physician or great Daoist master in the world could refine such a pill."
The Empress found that reasonable and became even more interested in Changsheng Taoist Priest. "Your Majesty, since you are so close to Changsheng Taoist Priest, when will you summon him into the palace for your consort to see?"
Jiang Yuan's gaze turned distant as he said faintly, "It is indeed time to have him meet you."
Meanwhile.
Within Dragon Arising Temple, Xu Tianji, Wang Chen, and Huang Chuan were dumbstruck, while Jiang Ziyu and Ping'an were beside themselves with excitement. All of them looked up at Jiang Changsheng floating above the eaves.
Jiang Changsheng sat cross-legged in the air, his robes snapping in the wind, the Kirin Whisk laid flat across his knees. A bolt of lightning struck down, only to be blocked and dispersed by the invisible barrier around him.
The tribulation had begun!
"So the rumors are true... He really can undergo Thunder Tribulation... What kind of martial art is the Universe Heaven Scripture?"
Xu Tianji muttered to himself. The way he looked at Jiang Changsheng had changed, like a mortal spirit gazing up at an immortal god.
The disciples of Dragon Arising Temple and the temporarily residing pilgrims all gathered outside the courtyard to watch. Many of the newer disciples had never seen Jiang Changsheng undergo a tribulation before, so they were extremely excited.
His last tribulation had been eighteen years ago. Jiang Changsheng had been twenty-one then; now, he was thirty-nine.
Ignoring everyone's gazes, Jiang Changsheng focused on weathering the tribulation. As more and more lightning descended, he began to feel the pressure.
The sixth level's Thunder Tribulation was far too terrifying!
It far surpassed his last tribulation!
The deafening booms made everyone in Dragon Arising Temple feel as though the heavens were about to collapse. The capital's residents were likewise trembling in fear, afraid that Dragon Arising Mountain would be blasted apart by the Thunder Tribulation.
Seeing that the Thunder Tribulation had gathered its momentum, Jiang Changsheng immediately began using incense value to offset its might. In an instant, specks of incense light emerged from within him and drifted above his head, swiftly forming a blaze that withstood the ceaseless bombardment of heavenly lightning.
Jiang Changsheng watched his incense value begin to fall. With the flames above his head, he could temporarily conserve his spiritual power.
Though thunder carried the force of ten thousand jun, it simply could not break through the flames to strike him. He rather felt as though he were enjoying shade beneath a tree. However, before so many watching eyes, he could not relax too much; he had to put on the appearance of displaying divine abilities.
"Amazing! Even lightning with such terrifying might cannot strike the Taoist Priest."
"So this heavenly lightning isn't some trick of the eye."
"What is that blaze above the Taoist Priest's head? Is it formed from True Qi?"
"Perhaps this is what the Daoists call Three Flowers Gather on Crown."
"We should call the Taoist Priest an Immortal Master. We must not offend him. Why are you not hurrying to pay your respects?"
The disciples discussed among themselves, while the pilgrims knelt in worship one after another, causing the disciples to kneel as well.
Jiang Ziyu was so excited that he failed to notice the birthmark between his brows flickering with a faint golden light.
Wang Chen sighed with emotion. "The realms of martial arts truly are beyond imagination. In the past, I underestimated martial arts."
Xu Tianji stood beside him, took a deep breath, and said, "Indeed. There is never a summit to the realm of martial arts. Since ancient times, those legends of immortals and gods were merely deeds performed by powerful martial artists. Mortals simply dared not believe that training in martial arts could reach such heights. The Taoist Priest undergoing tribulation only proves that his realm far exceeds all that we have seen and heard."
After surpassing the Heaven-Reaching Realm, Xu Tianji had believed himself invincible. He was certain that he had transcended the Heaven-Reaching Realm and reached a higher level. At the very least, within Great Jing, he had never encountered anyone stronger than himself.
Yet compared to Changsheng Taoist Priest, such a realm seemed as though he had only just stepped onto the path of martial arts.
Within the prince's residence.
Jiang Yu stood in the courtyard, gazing at the spectacular Thunder Tribulation over Dragon Arising Mountain. He frowned and asked, "Changsheng Taoist Priest is undergoing tribulation for the second time. Though I do not know what martial art he cultivates, if he becomes an enemy of this prince someday, can the Great Vehicle Dragon Tower suppress him?"
Gui Liu, leader of the Thirteen Heavenly Lodestar Assassins, replied, "The Dragon Tower's foundation is naturally deep. We simply do not know how strong this Demonic Taoist truly is. If Your Highness is concerned, I can write a letter and have the Dragon Tower send a venerable one to test him."
Jiang Yu shook his head. "Forget it. That would only anger him instead. He is now Ziyu's master. Aside from Chen Li, no other nobles associate with him. Even Jiang Yu has cut off contact with him. Perhaps he truly is the kind of seeker of the Dao who has transcended worldly affairs. Let us maintain the current state of affairs."
Gui Liu nodded. He actually felt there was no need to test him. Changsheng Taoist Priest was already very strong; he was certainly not someone they could restrain simply because they wished to. Besides, with such an expert in the capital, the Jiang family's imperial authority was safer.
After the Thunder Tribulation lasted half an hour, his incense value was exhausted, and Jiang Changsheng had no choice but to resist the Thunder Tribulation personally.
Fortunately, the hardest moment had already passed. He could endure the remaining Thunder Tribulation with his own strength.
Xu Tianji could no longer count how many bolts of lightning Jiang Changsheng had taken. In any case, he now worshipped Jiang Changsheng beyond measure, revering him as a god in his heart.
About another half hour passed before the Thunder Tribulation finally ended, and the vast Heavenly Might dispersed.
Jiang Changsheng began wildly absorbing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy. The branches of the Earth Spirit Tree swayed along with it as invisible, colorless spiritual energy surged toward Jiang Changsheng, forming a whirlwind around him.
His spiritual power began to soar!
He transformed once more!
Jiang Changsheng suddenly opened his eyes and discovered that he was floating in the air. Looking down, he saw that his body was still below.
"Is this... my soul leaving my body?"
Jiang Changsheng said in delighted surprise. The soul leaving the body was one of the hallmarks of immortal cultivation. He began controlling his soul as it drifted about and found it as natural as a fish in water, exceptionally nimble. He descended into the courtyard, but no one could see his soul. They continued looking at his body and discussing among themselves.
No one could see his soul!
Jiang Changsheng flew toward the city at incredible speed, as though he were using the Sword Control Technique.
He wandered through the skies above the capital, rising to the heavens and plunging into the earth, passing through walls and people alike. It was extraordinarily novel.
At this moment, he finally truly felt like an immortal cultivator.
Suddenly.
He stopped, suspended in the air, and his gaze fell upon the distant imperial palace. Above one of its halls, he saw a mass of yin energy floating there, making him feel extremely uncomfortable.
What is that thing? An evil spirit? Is there some secret within the imperial palace?
Jiang Changsheng frowned in thought. He looked carefully and recognized that hall; when he had snuck into the imperial palace at night before, he had passed by it. No one lived inside.
Forget it.
He would consolidate his cultivation first.
Jiang Changsheng turned and flew toward his physical body. He was extremely fast. Once his soul entered his body, he felt an itch throughout it and could not help shuddering. When he opened his eyes again, he had already regained control of his body.
The soul leaving the body truly was an excellent ability, especially for gathering intelligence.
Jiang Changsheng began consolidating his cultivation. He noticed the Daoist markings between Jiang Ziyu's brows glowing. Fortunately, the light was very faint, and everyone else's attention was focused on him, so no one noticed Jiang Ziyu's abnormality.
Perhaps these Daoist markings contained other mysteries as well.
Jiang Changsheng thought silently. He did not reveal his own Daoist markings, lest their relationship be exposed.
Seeing the Thunder Tribulation disperse, Meng Qiushuang and Qing Ku began driving away the disciples and pilgrims, returning peace and quiet to Jiang Changsheng.
The birthmark between Jiang Ziyu's brows returned to normal, and Wang Chen dragged him into the room as well.
Xu Tianji watched for a while longer, then picked up his broom and left, not daring to disturb Jiang Changsheng further.
Jiang Changsheng remained suspended in midair, circulating his cultivation and drawing in energy. By the time dusk descended, the spiritual power within him had yet to fill completely, but it had already surpassed his pre-breakthrough reserves by tenfold.
So powerful!
Jiang Changsheng was excited within his heart. After eighteen bitter years of cultivation, he had finally broken through to the sixth level.
Now, he should no longer need to fear the Great Vehicle Dragon Tower!
Just then, lines of text appeared before Jiang Changsheng's eyes:
In the thirty-ninth year of Kaiyuan, your cultivation has advanced. You have comprehended the true meaning of heaven and earth, passed the Lesser Three-Nine Heavenly Tribulation, and obtained the survival reward—Secret Art: 'Reincarnation Mark'. It has been detected that you have successfully undergone tribulation for the second time. Since your cultivation method does not belong to the Dao of this world, you have two choices. You may choose only one. One: Abandon immortal cultivation. Your spiritual power will transform into this world's martial arts realm—Universe Realm. Two: Continue immortal cultivation. Immortals stand above all living beings and are revered by all things. The path of immortal cultivation is the path of pursuing the Heavenly Dao. You may unlock the incense calculation function.
Naturally, he would continue immortal cultivation!
Jiang Changsheng made his choice without the slightest hesitation, then began pondering the Universe Realm.
He wondered how much higher the Universe Realm was than the Divine Human Realm. In any case, he had never even heard of the Universe Realm. Forget the Universe Realm—even the words "Divine Human" had never been mentioned by anyone else.
Yet if such a realm existed, that meant someone had reached it before. With the world so vast and the land so boundless, there had to be Universe Realm experts somewhere.
Jiang Changsheng would not roam the world in search of Universe Realm experts. He would remain in Great Jing, remain in the novice village he had chosen, cultivating there and commanding the winds and clouds. Once Little Prince Wei ascended the throne, any medicinal ingredients he needed for alchemy could be sought throughout the realm by the emperor. He himself could save both worry and effort while pursuing the immortal Dao.
One day, when martial arts realms could no longer correspond to immortal cultivation realms, he would truly have surpassed martial arts and reached a realm where none under heaven could defeat him.
Once he became invincible, he would live free and joyous, experiencing all the pleasures of the mortal world!
The protagonist had finally reached the sixth level—scatter some flowers~~
Before you continue