Yan Ruyu

Jiang Zhu gave a slight shudder, and a layer of charred old skin fell away. His body, reborn through the lightning tribulation, was crystalline, shimmering with divine radiance and brimming with immense power.

"The four extremes secret realm-I've done it!"

His black hair streamed in the wind as he stood between heaven and earth, savoring this entirely new sensation.

"The first heaven of the four extremes secret realm!"

Jiang Zhu slowly drifted down from midair and casually threw a punch with his right hand.

Boom!

The scorched earth ravaged by the lightning tribulation shattered. As though struck by a meteor, a terrifying crater appeared on the spot.

"My first heaven is my right arm." Jiang Zhu stared at the crater before him, somewhat speechless. A single casual punch had produced such a sight.

The human body had four extremities, which could connect to the four poles of heaven and earth. Cultivators had to temper all four limbs to perfection, until their hands and feet could reach through heaven and penetrate the earth.

With every movement, they could commune with the great Dao of the heavens and unleash unfathomable power.

After briefly reflecting on his new insights, Jiang Zhu vanished from the spot, taking Ye Fan far away from the area.

The vast Heavenly Tribulation drew quite a few cultivators from nearby. Unfortunately, only small sects occupied the surrounding region, without even a single Other Shore realm cultivator among them. In the end, they discovered nothing.

The two returned to the Wei Capital. Still reeling from the shock, Ye Fan asked, "Do all cultivators have to undergo lightning tribulations?"

Even watching from a distance, that lightning tribulation, like heavenly punishment descending upon the world, had filled him with dread and nearly left him unable to breathe.

"Not at all. Even if ordinary people wanted lightning to strike them, a Heavenly Tribulation wouldn't descend. Only peerless geniuses draw Heavenly Tribulations."

"But surviving one brings plenty of benefits. Your body, divine consciousness, artifacts, and so on can all be tempered, making you stronger."

Ye Fan understood. So Heavenly Tribulations chose whom to strike; ordinary people did not even qualify.

After returning to the restaurant, Jiang Zhu considered which scripture he should cultivate in the four extremes secret realm.

What a shame I never obtained the complete Dao Scripture. Otherwise, cultivating it step by step would have been a good choice...

Jiang Zhu reviewed the scriptures he had cultivated and felt a wave of helplessness. Before, he had never managed to obtain a complete emperor's scripture. Now that he had one in hand, choosing had become difficult instead.

Although he could now switch entirely to the Hengyu Scripture and rebuild his sea of bitterness realm and Dao Palace Realm...

Unfortunately, after tempering my body with true spirit origin blood and undergoing two complete transformations, my body is now better suited to the demon clan cultivation method.

After some thought, Jiang Zhu decided to see whether he could obtain the Azure Emperor Scripture. Once he had both scriptures in hand, he would make his decision.

Seven hundred li outside the Wei Capital lay a mountain valley.

Morning clouds gilded the mountaintops, and auspicious light shimmered through the valley. Before the mountain gate stood a slab of bluestone engraved with the words "Profound Origin." Many cultivators arrived riding rainbow streaks and entered the valley.

No one guarded the valley, and people could enter and leave freely. Numerous cultivators came from every direction.

Inside the valley, beautiful peaks rose around them. Waterfalls poured from summits scattered like stars, and halls and towers stood throughout the valley. It was a tranquil, peaceful pure land.

Jiang Zhu walked among a group of people. The cultivator leading them took turn after turn, eventually arriving at the sect's rear mountain.

After breaking through to the four extremes, he had sorted through what he had gained and come to the outskirts of Profound Origin Valley.

He then discovered that this cultivator frequently led people in and out of the valley. Finding an opportunity, he concealed part of his cultivation and pretended to be discovered by the man, allowing himself to be brought inside.

Before they had walked far, a fragrance wafted toward them. A moment later, the view abruptly opened up. Pink peach blossoms bloomed across the mountains and fields, their refreshing scent washing over them.

"Fairies, will these people do?" At that moment, the leading cultivator stopped and asked fawningly.

"Have you brought more people with a destined connection?"

Laughter like silver bells drifted from the peach grove. Several women approached with delicate, swaying steps.

Their figures were graceful, their skin crystalline. Their beautiful faces glowed against the sea of peach blossoms, looking all the more rosy.

The woman at their head was barely twenty. Her red lips parted slightly, revealing pearly teeth. Her shimmering, peach-blossom eyes were half-lidded, their shifting gaze radiant, and her dark sandalwood-colored hair fell like a waterfall.

Her voice was pleasing to the ear as she spoke. "After all this time, you haven't found even one who barely qualifies. Where did you trick this lot into coming from?"

"Fairies, the Wei Kingdom is only a small country. There really isn't anyone suitable!"

"Oh?!!"

The woman at their head gave a soft exclamation and swayed gracefully over to Jiang Zhu. She touched a finger to his shoulder. "This fleshly vessel is extraordinary. Such vigorous blood and vitality-it doesn't seem like a mortal physique."

"Are you satisfied with this man, Fairy?" The leading cultivator was overjoyed. "As for my payment..."

The woman flicked out a few Source Blocks. "Not bad. I'm very pleased with this precious physique. Apart from him, take the rest back!"

"Thank you for your generous reward, Fairy!" The cultivator caught the Source Blocks and left with the others, beside himself with joy.

"Young man, could you tell me what kind of physique you have? Why do you give me both a sense of pressure and a feeling of kinship?"

A faint smile rested on the woman's face, making one feel bathed in a spring breeze.

"Oh? You feel it too, Fairy? Could we belong to the same clan?" Jiang Zhu asked.

The woman smiled alluringly. "Since you've noticed, I won't say any more. There's no need to be afraid. Even if we aren't of the same clan, we won't harm you. We're going to bestow an opportunity upon you."

"Fairy, whatever the opportunity might be, my blessings are meager. I'm afraid I'm not fortunate enough to enjoy it."

The woman with a red mole between her brows smiled charmingly. Light rippled in her eyes as she glanced at Jiang Zhu and said, "Not necessarily. For a man, this is an opportunity as great as the heavens."

As she spoke, she looked him up and down again. "Especially a man with such vigorous blood and vitality!"

The women around them all giggled at her words. Alluring and seductive, they possessed an innate charm, and their laughter set them trembling like flowering branches.

One of them teased, "That's right, that's right. If you're chosen, you'll ascend to heaven in a single step. You really are a fortunate man."

"I wonder what sort Her Highness likes. I think you're quite good. If Her Highness doesn't like you, let me comfort you instead." Another demon woman spoke even more boldly.

"You want to comfort me? You're just lusting after my body. Pah! Shameless!"

Jiang Zhu glanced at the demon woman who had spoken.

Hmm?! Those are some enormous arguments. Using them to comfort someone wouldn't be out of the question.

"All right, enough talking. Let's go!"

Jiang Zhu was led deeper into the peach grove, where it was exceptionally quiet. After passing through a gorge, they reached a stretch of jade-green mountains. Rosy light rippled around them, and all the vegetation gleamed like jade, flowing with wondrous colors.

Directly ahead rose a mountain overflowing with radiant colors. Mist hung around it, and rosy light shimmered in waves. A pavilion stood on the mountain, with a flawless figure inside.

She wore white, pure as snow. Her robes fluttered, making her look like a fairy about to drift away on the wind.

Mist surged around the pavilion. Her eyes were gentle as water as she gazed through the clouds toward the foot of the mountain.

Jiang Zhu also looked up. The woman on the mountain gave him a sense of utter perfection.

Not only was her beauty enough to topple cities and kingdoms, but her bearing also transcended the mortal world, untouched by its smoke and dust. She made others feel ashamed of their own inadequacy, as though everything beautiful in the world would lose its luster before her.

"The Azure Emperor's descendant, Yan Ruyu!"