Primal Beginning Thunder Tribulation

The clouds of the Immortal Realm shimmered with a glazed radiance, and the seventy-two floating peaks of Grand Profound Mountain appeared and vanished amid the sea of clouds. Chu Mo and Yun Che stood within the teleportation array, feeling the immortal spiritual energy in the air, so dense it was nearly tangible. The Heaven Suppressing Seal and the Chaos Sword Body gave soft cries at the same time—this place's laws were clearer and more powerful than those of the Spirit Realm.

"Chaos Sword Master, Heaven Suppressing Saintess, please follow me." The Grand Profound Sect disciple assigned to receive them spoke respectfully, yet when he saw the broken sword at Chu Mo's waist, a trace of apprehension flashed through his eyes. He knew that the youth before him was the Chaos Sword Master who had made the Mysterious Yellow Divine Dynasty suffer defeat in the Spirit Realm. His fearsome name had already spread throughout the Immortal Realm's thirty-six heavens through the myriad-realm transmission arrays.

The Primal Beginning Thunder Pool lay at the heart of Grand Profound Mountain. It was a circular pool spanning a thousand zhang in diameter, its waters formed of liquid lightning. From time to time, purple thunder serpents shot from its surface. More than a hundred outstanding young cultivators stood around the pool, their robes embroidered with the emblems of different divine dynasties and sects. Among them were descendants of Immortal Emperors and awakened bearers of ancient divine bodies.

"Yun Che, the Heaven Suppressing Bloodline awakening ceremony will begin at midnight." Su Hanxue's voice came from the center of the thunder pool. Her figure, dressed in white whiter than snow, walked upon lightning, while the World Suppressing Seal revolved in her palm with a silver glow. "Before that, you must undergo three layers of lightning tribulation tempering."

As she turned, her gaze collided with Chu Mo's. The complex emotions that flickered through her eyes reminded Chu Mo of the reflection he had seen within the Returning Ruin Water Screen—back then, she had clearly been his enemy, yet she had still told him to protect Yun Che.

"The first layer: the Body Tempering Tribulation." Su Hanxue raised a hand, and nine pillars of lightning rose from the thunder pool's surface. "Use the Heaven Suppressing Bloodline to draw upon the Primal Beginning Thunder Pool and wash away the impurities of your mortal body."

Yun Che nodded and slowly stepped into the thunder pool. The instant the first lightning pillar struck, her black hair turned snow-white. The Heaven Suppressing Seal emerged above her head, transforming the lightning into golden liquid that coursed through and scoured her meridians. Chu Mo gripped his broken sword tightly, his gaze fixed on the thunder pool—he could feel Yun Che's aura rising at a terrifying pace, but that growth came with the danger of her meridians being torn apart.

"Brother Chu Mo, don't worry..." Yun Che's voice passed through the lightning. "I can feel the Heaven Suppressing Seal calling to the key fragment at the bottom of the pool."

Sure enough, when the third lightning tribulation descended, blue light suddenly shone from the bottom of the thunder pool. A jade pendant engraved with the words "Primal Beginning" floated amid the silt. It was the third Primordial Chaos Key Fragment. Chu Mo could no longer restrain himself. His broken sword unleashed Chaos Sword Qi, forcibly cleaving open the thunder pool's protective barrier as he reached in and seized the jade pendant.

"How presumptuous!" the Elder of Grand Profound Sect roared. Thirteen immortal swords flew from their sheaths at once. "How dare you defile the Primal Beginning Thunder Pool!"

Without even looking back, Chu Mo swept his broken sword behind him. Chaos Sword Qi collided with the laws of the immortal swords, exploding into vast thunderclouds atop Grand Profound Mountain. His eyes remained fixed on Yun Che. He saw the Heaven Suppressing Seal resonate with the jade pendant, while the mark of the Heaven Suppressing Divine Body emerged between her brows—a six-pointed star thunder pattern.

"The second layer: the Law Tribulation!" Su Hanxue suddenly attacked. The World Suppressing Seal transformed into silver chains that coiled around Chu Mo's broken sword. "If you want to obtain the Primal Beginning Key, you must first pass Grand Profound Sect's test."

Chu Mo felt the World Suppressing Laws upon the chains. They shared the same origin as Yun Che's Heaven Suppressing Seal, yet stood in opposition to it. Inspiration suddenly struck him. A strand of Chaos Sword Qi separated out and condensed into the phantom of Yun Che's thunder pattern upon the chains—the Chaos Sword Body could actually imitate the traits of the Heaven Suppressing Bloodline.

"So that was it..." Surprise flashed through Su Hanxue's eyes, and the chains snapped apart. "Chaos and Heaven Suppression truly were born together as yin and yang."

At that moment, a tremendous boom erupted from the center of the thunder pool. Yun Che's Heaven Suppressing Divine Body completely awakened. Twelve lightning wings appeared behind her, each wrapped in a Heavenly Tribulation of a different attribute—purple lightning illuminating the world, azure lightning extinguishing laws, golden lightning tempering gods... She clenched her hand, and the lightning of the Primal Beginning Thunder Pool was compressed into a lightning sphere that floated above her palm.

"The third layer: the Heart Tribulation." Su Hanxue's voice suddenly sank. "The Heaven Suppressing Saintess must choose within the illusion: perish together with the Chaos Sword Master, or bear the mission of the divine body alone..."

Within the illusion, Yun Che saw the sight she feared most: Chu Mo collapsed before the entrance to the Primordial Sword Domain, his broken sword shattered, the Source of Chaos draining from his body. As for herself, she stood upon the divine throne of Grand Profound Sect, the Heaven Suppressing Seal giving off an icy radiance, while beneath her feet lay the phantom image of countless realms bowing in submission.

"I choose..." Yun Che's voice was resolute. Her lightning wings abruptly folded inward, shielding Chu Mo and the jade pendant within her embrace. "To split open chaos with him and reshape the myriad realms."

The thunder pool's surface exploded with a deafening roar. The twelve lightning wings became corporeal, and every one of them struck Chu Mo and Yun Che between the brows. They cried out at the same time, yet before collapsing, they grasped each other's hands—Chaos Sword Qi and Heaven Suppressing lightning formed a cycle between them, actually transforming the Heart Tribulation's thunderforce into an opportunity for breakthrough.

"They broke through!" the Sect Master of Grand Profound Sect cried out. "The Heaven Suppressing Saintess and the Chaos Sword Master actually advanced simultaneously amid the lightning tribulation!"

Chu Mo felt his Sea of Consciousness become perfectly clear, and the bottleneck of the Immortal Emperor realm shattered at once. Opening his eyes, he discovered that his Chaos Sword Body could now condense a projection of the sword domain. Yun Che's Heaven Suppressing Divine Body, nourished by the thunder pool, had awakened the Eyes of Reversed Time—they could briefly reverse the trajectory of an opponent's laws.

"Brother Chu Mo, the key..." Yun Che smiled weakly, holding the Heaven Suppressing Seal fused with the Primal Beginning Jade Pendant. "The third key fragment has been gathered."

At that moment, a tremendous boom came from beyond Grand Profound Mountain. A massive warship carved with death runes broke through the clouds. Standing at its prow was an Emissary of the Samsara Palace, holding a bloodstained invitation. "Chaos Sword Master, Heaven Suppressing Saintess, the Reincarnation Palace Master invites you..."

Chu Mo rose to his feet and pointed his broken sword at the warship. A projection of the Chaos Sword Domain spread out behind him. He could sense that the Reincarnation Palace was after the Primordial Chaos Key Fragments within their bodies, as well as Yun Che's Heaven Suppressing Divine Body, which was about to fully awaken.

"Tell your Palace Master," Chu Mo said in a voice cold as ice, "that once I gather all nine key fragments, I will naturally come to pay him a visit."

The warship suddenly emitted a piercing alarm. The Emissary of the Samsara Palace discovered in horror that their connection to the Samsara Passage had been forcibly severed by Chu Mo's Chaos Sword Domain. Left with no choice, they could only retreat in frustration.

Beside the Primal Beginning Thunder Pool, Su Hanxue watched the two standing shoulder to shoulder as the World Suppressing Seal suddenly let out a mournful cry. She knew that the bond between herself, Chu Mo, and Yun Che had long surpassed simple enmity or cooperation—the World Suppressing Seal, Heaven Suppressing Seal, and Chaos Sword Body were originally the three foundational pillars of the Primordial Sword Domain. Not one could be missing.

"Next, you must head to the Heart Burning Sea of Fire to seek the fourth key fragment." Su Hanxue handed over a jade slip engraved with flame patterns. "That place is Grand Profound Sect's forbidden ground, and also where the Heaven Suppressing Saintess and the Chaos Sword Master fell all those years ago..."

Her voice suddenly caught in her throat, and she turned to step into the thunder pool. Chu Mo noticed that her cuff bore the same sword pattern as Yun Che's mother—it was a sword-intent mark left behind in Grand Profound Sect thirty years ago by Chu Muxue.

Three days later, Chu Mo and Yun Che stood at the edge of the Heart Burning Sea of Fire. Scorching waves of heat rushed at them, yet Yun Che's Heaven Suppressing Seal was unusually tranquil here, as though mourning something.

"Brother Chu Mo, do you think Mother and Sister Su Hanxue's master once stood here too?" Yun Che asked softly. "Did they also, like us, hold each other's hands tightly as they faced the hostility of the myriad realms?"

Chu Mo did not answer. He merely tightened his hold on her hand. The broken sword trembled in his palm, and the light from the three key fragments upon its blade intertwined as though guiding them somewhere.

Within the blazing flames of the Heart Burning Sea of Fire, a charred Sword Platform appeared and disappeared. Embedded atop it was a broken sword burning with karmic fire, its hilt set with the fourth key fragment—the Heart Burning Jade Pendant. Hundreds of sword cultivators' skeletons encircled the platform, every one maintaining a battle stance, as though guarding something.

"Brother Chu Mo, those skeletons..." Yun Che suddenly cried out. "Their sword patterns are the same as the Tomb Keeper from the Ye family's sword tomb!"

Chu Mo nodded, pain flashing through his eyes. At last, he understood why his mother, Chu Muxue, had sent him to the Ye family. The Ye family's sword tomb had originally been one of the outer guardians of the Primordial Sword Domain, while these skeletons were the predecessors who had fallen while protecting the key fragments.

"We came too late," Chu Mo said softly as his broken sword slowly left its sheath. "But from this moment onward, no power will be able to stop us from gathering all nine key fragments and restarting the Primordial Sword Domain."

He led Yun Che into the sea of fire. Chaos Sword Qi and Heaven Suppressing lightning formed a protective barrier around their bodies. When they approached the Sword Platform, the Heart Burning Jade Pendant suddenly gave a clear cry. It resonated with the broken sword and the Heaven Suppressing Seal, casting a phantom image amid the flames—a woman holding a broken sword, cradling an infant in her arms, with blazing karmic fire behind her.

"Mother..." Chu Mo and Yun Che cried out together. The phantom turned her head, her eyes filled with sword intent fiercer than the sea of fire, along with a faint, gratified smile.

The instant the phantom dispersed, the Heart Burning Jade Pendant fell into Chu Mo's palm. Gazing at the four key fragments in his hand, he suddenly felt the call of the Primordial Sword Domain. It was a summons beyond life and death, as though the laws of the entire myriad realms were awaiting the return of the Chaos Sword Master.

The aftershocks of the Primal Beginning Thunder Tribulation had yet to fade when the karmic fire of the Heart Burning Sea of Fire surged anew. Chu Mo and Yun Che stood upon the Sword Platform, watching the Reincarnation Palace warship approach once more in the distance, yet smiles curled at their lips. They knew the road ahead would only grow more perilous, but so long as they had each other, and the key fragments and swords in their hands, there would be no obstacle they could not cross.

The legend of the Chaos Sword Master was advancing toward an even more magnificent realm through the tempering of the Primal Beginning Thunder Tribulation and the karmic fire of the Heart Burning Sea of Fire. Awaiting them would be the challenges of the Immortal Realm's thirty-six heavens, the revival of the Chaos Demon Gods of the God Realm, and the ultimate truth hidden deep within primordial chaos—regarding Mother, the myriad realms, and themselves.

The sea wind swept over Grand Profound Mountain, carrying the thunder pool's rumble and the sea of fire's roar into the distance. The Twin Sword Masters of Chaos and Heaven Suppression left their first trail of footprints upon the land of the Immortal Realm, while more glorious achievements and more moving legends awaited their hands to write.