Yong Province, the Devil-Trapping Mountain Range.
Dark clouds shrouded this region year-round, leaving the sky gray and murky, while a nauseating stench permeated the air.
"If someone cultivated in conditions like these year-round, it would be hard not to suffer Qi Deviation..."
Han Xuanji shook his head with a sigh.
No wonder no sect had established itself nearby, and there were scarcely any people within a thousand li. But it was precisely because of this that the Demon King had been able to slowly cultivate to the Void Return Realm here. Otherwise, how could he have reached the Void Return Realm on human territory?
"Interesting."
Han Xuanji, on the contrary, found his interest piqued.
There had to be a reason the Heavenly Divination Technique had guided him here, but he did not dwell on it.
He would let nature take its course.
"Master, this place is disgusting!"
"Why come here for Tribulation Transcendence?"
The little white tiger spoke while keeping a wary eye on his surroundings.
He could not understand what his master was thinking. What normal person would come to a place like this for Tribulation Transcendence?
"Adults are talking. Children shouldn't ask questions."
Han Xuanji spoke indifferently.
"All right."
The little white tiger did not dare ask any more questions and looked around.
The earth was a sickly purplish black, without a blade of grass, and jagged, misshapen rocks resembled vicious monsters.
As far as the eye could see, all was deathly still. Only the howling wind carried whispers that seemed to come from the netherworld.
Han Xuanji led the little white tiger silently into the heart of the mountain range.
The farther they went, the denser the Devil Qi became. Not only did it obstruct their vision, but it also affected the power of their Divine Sense in some unseen way.
"This really is a place that's easy to defend and hard to attack."
Han Xuanji realized this now.
The Demon King of Devil-Trapping Mountain might well have been relying on this unusual location, which was why he did not fear the threat posed by the Divine Profound Sect's great cultivators.
It was difficult to extend one's Divine Sense here. If someone hid, even a Body Integration great cultivator would probably have trouble finding them.
If an ordinary cultivator came here and was corroded by Devil Qi, their entire cultivation would be ruined.
But both man and tiger had reached the Void Return Realm, and the Devil Qi around them could not invade them in the slightest.
"Here will do."
After pondering for a moment, Han Xuanji followed his instincts to a relatively open clearing.
As an array grandmaster, he naturally knew an array that could purify Devil Qi. Before long, he had driven the Devil Qi from the area, leaving only pure Spiritual Qi.
"Not bad."
Han Xuanji nodded slightly.
With the Devil Qi purified, the Spiritual Qi here was quite dense, even rivaling that of some ordinary Dao peaks in the Divine Profound Sect.
Perhaps many years ago, a powerful sect had once established itself here as well.
Next, Han Xuanji carefully set up several powerful arrays.
Before long, the place had become entirely Han Xuanji's home ground. If a fight broke out here, he would not fear even a Body Integration Realm mighty figure.
Finally, he took out some wondrous items obtained through sign-ins, containing pure primordial Qi of heaven and earth, such as "innate spiritual liquid" and "supreme-grade Spirit Stones," and casually placed them around himself.
"Little White, go far away from here so you won't get caught up in it."
"If anyone approaches, step in and stop them."
Han Xuanji sat down cross-legged and gave the little white tiger his instructions.
Although he was not afraid of being disturbed during Tribulation Transcendence, he still did not want any mishaps.
"Yes! Rest assured, Master!"
The little white tiger nodded solemnly and turned into a streak of white light as he sped away.
The Body Integration Heavenly Tribulation was no small matter. He had to get very far away.
"Whew!"
Han Xuanji took a deep breath, slowly closed his eyes, and completely released the suppression on his cultivation realm.
Boom!
As though a sleeping beast had been awakened, the entire Devil-Trapping Mountain Range shook violently.
At the same time, high in the heavens, the thick, lead-gray Devil Qi clouds were forcibly torn apart by a far vaster and more majestic power!
Tribulation clouds churned, and thunder dragons roared.
Pitch-black tribulation clouds gathered wildly, spreading so far that they covered almost half the Devil-Trapping Mountain Range!
Within the tribulation clouds, silver serpents no longer danced wildly. Instead, they coalesced into terrifying thunder dragons of every shape, baring their fangs and claws.
The Body Integration Heavenly Tribulation had descended!
Han Xuanji sat cross-legged at the center of this storm of destruction. His figure looked utterly insignificant, yet he was as steady as a rock.
At this very moment, beneath the Devil-Trapping Mountain Range.
Suddenly!
Rumble-!
An indescribable, terrifying pressure, seemingly descending from the nine heavens, came crashing down like a tsunami.
Caught off guard, the Three-Eyed Demon King staggered, his enormous body lurching.
Countless lesser demons with low cultivation in the underground cavern were struck so hard that blood poured from their seven orifices, and they fell unconscious!
"What's going on?!"
The Three-Eyed Demon King was both shocked and furious. A terrifying light shot from the vertical eye between his brows, piercing the mountain rock as he looked toward the sky.
"A lightning tribulation?"
The Three-Eyed Demon King cried out involuntarily, his eyes filled with incredulous horror.
"Someone's undergoing Tribulation Transcendence?! A madman! An absolute madman!"
He saw through it all in an instant as he watched those terrifying fluctuations.
He quickly realized that this glorious heavenly might was no ordinary heavenly tribulation, but the terrifying Body Integration Heavenly Tribulation. That was why it could shake the Devil-Trapping Mountain Range and stir up the Devil Qi underground.
"It's over."
At that moment, the Three-Eyed Demon King could not concern himself with anything else. He realized the situation was dire.
In the underground depths where the Ten Thousand Demons Cave lay, Yao Qi had gathered because the Three-Eyed Demon King had cultivated there year-round. Moreover, the Demon Race had never been skilled in architecture, and the only reason this place had not collapsed was that a few low-level arrays held it up.
Now, lightning tribulation and Devil Qi collided. Under the sustained impact of the destructive shock waves, the already low-level arrays could no longer hold out.
Crack!
A splintering sound came from above the underground cavern!
The mountains began to shake violently and split apart!
Huge rocks crashed down from the cavern ceiling like a torrential downpour, and the natural stone pillars supporting the cavern snapped one after another.
"No!!!"
The Three-Eyed Demon King's eyes nearly split with fury. Roaring wildly, he unleashed a towering surge of Demon Power, trying to stabilize the cave abode and protect his subordinates.
Yet before this power that seemed capable of overturning heaven and earth, even his Void Return Realm Demon Power seemed so insignificant!
He could only watch as the lair he had built up over many years was reduced to rubble at a speed visible to the naked eye amid the violent shaking and collapse!
Some members of the Demon Race tried to flee, only to be instantly struck dead by the aftershocks of the tribulation lightning.
He saw the wealth he had accumulated and the resources he had plundered buried in their entirety.
"Ah!!! Who is it?! Who the hell is it?!!"
Bathed in blood, his eyes crimson, the Three-Eyed Demon King shot into the sky from the collapsing mountain like a madman. He stared fixedly in the direction of the heavenly tribulation, his boundless hatred and killing intent almost taking tangible form!
He had only one thought now: find the culprit who had caused all this, tear him limb from limb, and devour his flesh raw!
But just as he burst out of the collapsing Ten Thousand Demons Cave, ready to interfere with the person undergoing Tribulation Transcendence regardless of the cost,
A white-gold figure radiating an air of slaughter appeared before him in an instant, blocking his path.
"Oh? You want to disturb Master during Tribulation Transcendence?"
The little white tiger spoke in a human voice, childish yet carrying unquestionable authority.
"Why haven't you retreated?"
"You!"
The Three-Eyed Demon King forcibly suppressed his anger and said indignantly:
"You're a member of the Demon Race too. Why are you making things difficult for me?!"
Hearing this, the little white tiger said disdainfully:
"I don't care. I'm just following Master's orders."
"You... you have a white tiger bloodline, yet you're willing to be a human's demon pet. You've really disgraced the Demon Race!"
The Three-Eyed Demon King quickly saw through the little white tiger's origins and was utterly baffled.
Despite possessing the bloodline of a divine beast from High Antiquity, he had become a demon pet.
"What the hell do you know?!"
The little white tiger snorted coldly and spoke with utter disdain.
Under Han Xuanji, it had never suffered any mistreatment. The things he fed it every day were things this wild little demon before it could never even dream of.
Life was exceedingly comfortable. If it had known being a demon pet came with such good treatment, it would have gladly become one the moment it was born.