Yu Tunzhou, "Held Back" by His Realm

Deep within the clouds, purple lightning danced and surged, as if a vast army of horses was galloping through the clouds.

Shen You stood on the treetop, his white robe billowing backward in the wind, and couldn't help but feel a chill for the old master Xuanyangzi.

He remembered.

On that day, in front of the cave in the Western Desert, this person also attracted a lightning tribulation, which severely injured three of the Seven Bandits of the Western Desert. If it weren't for the cave in front of him, the three of them would probably have died under the lightning tribulation.

Time has passed, and the scene has reappeared, only the person involved has changed to Xuan Xuanyangzi, the Supreme Elder of the Supreme Origin Sect Taishang!

This person's methods are truly endless and impossible to guard against.

If he doesn't leave soon, even he might not be able to stay at ease.

Shen You stumbled slightly, already considering retreating.

If you can't afford to fight, can't you at least run away?

Staying there and getting caught in the aftershocks of the lightning tribulation would be a greater loss than gain.

But who should we ask about Junior Brother Deng's whereabouts?

Xuanyangzi was gritting his teeth as he suppressed the raging Yin Qi and vengeful spirits within the Soul-Summoning Banner, while the banner's face hole continuously released Yin Qi and vengeful spirits.

With each passing breath, more of his years of hard work was wasted.

Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat, and a primal tremor shot up his spine to the top of his head. He looked up sharply.

Dark clouds loomed overhead, but they were not the malevolent clouds summoned by the Soul-Summoning Banner; rather, they were genuine calamity clouds imbued with the might of heaven.

Thunderclouds hung low, the Void rumbled, and a majestic and awe-inspiring heavenly might poured down, causing the laws of heaven and earth within a radius of dozens of miles to freeze.

The overwhelming power of the heavenly tribulation made his scalp tingle and he could hardly breathe.

"Heavenly Tribulation?!"

Xuanyangzi's pupils constricted sharply as he looked incredulously at the figure in green robes approaching him.

Was this calamity brought about by the Yu Tunzhou?!

I sacrificed a city's worth of blood and forged Soul-Summoning Banner back then, yet I didn't incur divine punishment. What heaven-defying and immoral act has this child committed???

Or perhaps... a legacy of Thunder Method?

No, Thunder Method is Thunder Method, and heavenly tribulation is heavenly tribulation!

The latter has almost no upper limit; its power is determined by the realm of the one undergoing tribulation. Its essence is Heavenly Dao punishment, which is a completely different concept from Thunder Method.

Therefore, even if it is the orthodox Thunder Method lineage of the Tantai Household, it is impossible for it to attract heavenly tribulation for the enemy!

Boom--

Before he could think any further, thunder roared, the tribulation clouds deepened, and the divine might grew even heavier.

Even Grandmaster like Xuanyangzi, at the External Scenery Fourth Layer, felt his mind tighten and his Primordial Spirit tremble.

Xuanyangzi's expression hardened, and he grabbed the Soul-Summoning Banner, preparing to tear through the Void and escape.

However, a figure shot straight at them like an arrow released from a bow.

"You old dog!" Yu Tunzhou's furious roar echoed in the wind, "You were so arrogant just now, shouting and yelling, and now you want to be a coward? If you have the guts, stay here and let's fight another three hundred rounds!"

"You brat, you're asking for death!" Xuanyangzi was both shocked and furious. He let out a long roar, and the black energy around him surged violently.

Behind him, the Void twisted, and a colossal phantom hundreds of feet tall slowly solidified.

As soon as the Spirit Aspect, the world suddenly darkened.

The External Scenery Fourth Layer further integrates the Spirit Aspect the Inner Heaven and Earth, no longer a simple manifestation of the Primordial Spirit, but a realm of laws and principles existing between the real and the illusory.

The demonic shadow was entirely black, shapeless and without substance, like a constantly churning chaotic vortex. At the heart of the vortex was a bottomless void, seemingly leading to the deepest part of the Nine Netherworlds, or like a terrifying eye.

[The Mysterious Yin Guixu Aspect]

The moment the Spirit Aspect realm enveloped the area, the laws governing heaven and earth within a radius of dozens of miles were distorted.

The vegetation withered, the rocks weathered, and even the air became thick and foul-smelling, causing the power of Yin and evil spirits to surge several times over.

Yu Tunzhou felt a sudden heaviness around him, as if he were sinking into a quagmire. A constant stream of resentment eroded his Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth, and the speed of his internal Gang Qi circulation also dropped sharply. Even his grasp of the surrounding laws decreased by more than half!

This is the exclusive domain of laws formed by the further fusion of the Spirit Aspect and the Inner Heaven and Earth. It has already begun to possess some of the power of the Dharma Aspect, which is incomparable to the supernatural Divine Ability of the Dharma Aspect!

"You little beast, do you really think no one can handle you?!"

Xuanyangzi stood beneath the Spirit Aspect, his robes billowing, his beard and hair standing on end, and raised his hand to crush and press down hard on Yu Tunzhou.

The enormous "Eye" of the Guixu suddenly opened, and a pitch-black ghost claw emerged from it, instantly grasping the laws of the surrounding world in its palm. It blotted out the sky and the sun, and with a single sweep, the entire mountain forest was razed to the ground!

Yu Tunzhou finally experienced what it felt like to be swept away.

With just one blow, his bones cracked under the strain, and he coughed up blood on the spot.

A towering, solitary divine mountain within his body barely suppressed the Inner Heaven and Earth, but it still couldn't conceal the countless fine lines that appeared everywhere.

This is the legal realm of the External Scenery Fourth Layer?!

Xuanyangzi frowned as he saw that his full-force attack had failed to kill Yu Tunzhou on the spot. He had not expected that this boy's physique would be so powerful.

Xuanyangzi glanced coldly at Yu Tunzhou and decisively fled, not daring to linger in battle, fearing that he would be caught up in the heavenly tribulation and inexplicably suffer a calamity.

With a flicker of his body, he transformed into a streak of blood and vanished, covering dozens of miles in an instant.

But as soon as he regained his footing, he felt thunderclouds following him like a shadow overhead.

He turned around abruptly and saw a figure in a blue robe, covered in blood, chasing after him relentlessly, even though he was more than ten miles away.

"You little beast, do you really want to die?!" Xuanyangzi was furious.

With his injuries, are you not worried at all about the heavenly tribulation that's coming?!

Yes, he suddenly realized the key to it—

Yu Tunzhou is only at the Divine Ability Realm; even if he were to undergo tribulation, he would only face the heavenly lightning of the Divine Ability Realm. However, his physique far surpasses that of ordinary External Scenery...

Upon realizing this crucial point, Xuanyangzi widened in fury, and he wished he could slap this little beast to death!

Just then...

A supremely yang and powerful, magnificent heavenly might pierced through the barrier of the Xuan Yin domain with unstoppable force, descending with a thunderous roar, sweeping away all laws and principles, and precisely locking down the aura of Yu Tunzhou.

The aftershocks swept through, engulfing even Xuanyangzi.

Xuanyangzi froze abruptly, his face drained of color, never expecting the heavenly tribulation to arrive so quickly!

"Boom!"

Purple lightning tore through the sky, and the first bolt of heavenly thunder, carrying overwhelming divine might, crashed down!

Xuanyangzi instinctively tried to back away, but suddenly realized something, his expression changed drastically, and he roared:

"Yu Tunzhou!"

The lightning bolt danced wildly, tearing through the dark clouds and illuminating the entire world. Countless vengeful spirits vanished in the face of this attack!

Heavenly thunder is extremely yang and strong. Although the essence of the Cultivation Method he practiced was not yin or Devil Cultivation Method, the Soul-Summoning Banner he crafted to enhance his combat power belonged to the yin and evil category and was most afraid of heavenly thunder, let alone heavenly thunder carrying the power of heavenly tribulation!

With this one strike, the power of his Soul-Summoning Banner was reduced by at least 30%!

However, Xuanyangzi no longer had the time to kill Yu Tunzhou, as he sensed that his own tribulation lightning was falling continuously.

Yu Tunzhou did not approach Xuanyangzi again, preparing to withstand the heavenly lightning head-on.

When the first bolt of lightning struck, his entire body was enveloped in Indestructible Golden Light, and he withstood it without suffering the slightest injury.

The same applies to the second one.

Seeing this, Xuanyangzi, who was far away, was filled with rage, his heart burning with anger.

I wish I could arrest this thief and have him struck by lightning in my place!

The tribulation that Yu Tunzhou was far stronger than he had anticipated, yet it was still far inferior to his own.

Ultimately, it was his level of understanding that "dragged down" Yu Tunzhou.

At this moment, Yu Tunzhou even had time to look at Xuanyangzi, revealing his teeth in a bright and sunny smile.

But when the third, fourth...

The fifth heavenly tribulation descended, no longer a single bolt of lightning, but transformed into a sea of lightning, blazing and surging, engulfing him like a tide!

"Boom!"

At this moment, neither side cared about the other, focusing solely on their own tribulations.

The Void was extinguished by the lightning, the blinding light filled every space, and the thunder almost pierced people's eardrums, traveling for dozens of miles.

After being struck by six consecutive lightning tribulations, Xuanyangzi's robes were shattered and his aura plummeted. He had no choice but to use a life-saving pill to prolong his life and restore his condition.

Even so, he barely survived the seventh heavenly lightning strike. He had to use all his resources for the eighth strike, throwing out several life-saving artifacts, but in the end, he was directly reduced to his original form. His Inner Heaven and Earth almost collapsed, and even the [Mysterious Yin Guixu Aspect] was gradually worn away by the lightning, and he couldn't use it for at least a month.

He looked up at the sky in disbelief, then looked at the Yu Tunzhou again.

What level of heavenly tribulation is this?

Even a powerful figure like him, who could reach the External Scenery Fourth Layer in this era and was only one step away from Grandmaster, could only pass through the sixth or seventh level without relying on external aids and on his own!

now.

Yu Tunzhou's body was also broken, with his skin torn and flesh torn. He had already been severely injured because he had held back Xuanyangzi, so he was essentially undergoing tribulation while carrying a heavily wounded body.

Moreover, this tribulation of lightning not only purifies the physical body, but also torments the Primordial Spirit and mind.

But his spirit was incredibly firm and vigorous. He raised his head to the sky, fighting back with all his might, treating the tribulation lightning as his own cultivation resource. Only one thought remained in his mind:

Mortal Realm is a training ground where lotuses bloom from mud; all the hardships of life are opportunities for growth and refinement!

He sustained his spirit and energy with this thought, while his physical body recovered rapidly thanks to the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art.

Boom!

Another surge of lightning pressed him down beneath it.

Amidst the charred and mangled flesh and bones, Indestructible Golden Light flickered and intertwined, growing ever stronger under the tempering of the lightning tribulation, becoming the final support for his physical body.

Under each tribulation of lightning, the golden light remained true to its name; though shattered, it never truly Indestructible.

Under the tempering of lightning, the life essence of his physical body is transforming and surging.

Even the fresh blood pumped from the heart had a faint golden tinge, making it sparkle.

The Dragon Ball Wine, originally intended for cultivation at the Divine Ability Realm, was taken out again and gulped down half of it.

The potent medicinal power rapidly nourished his body, but it was still not enough.

Finally, he downed the entire jar of medicinal wine, and then took out the remaining Dragon Ball, stuffing it directly into his mouth and chewing it repeatedly, finding it crunchy and delicious.

His physical body was pierced through multiple times, his bones shattered under the eighth bolt of lightning, only to be rebuilt again, and his marrow was tinged with a faint gold. His reborn body was accompanied by a vibrant life force and vitality.

This is the primordial energy of all things!

Daoist School cultivators celebrated the sunrise, a practice known as "eating the sunrise to refine the Tao," in order to gather the primordial energy contained in the first ray of dawn.

Yes, thunder is the pivot of yin and yang; at the end of destruction lies rebirth!

Yu Tunzhou raised his head, took a deep breath, and prepared to face the final bolt of heavenly lightning.

This tribulation lightning, whether due to being accumulated for too long or for other reasons, was far more powerful than the last one, completely inconsistent with the breakthrough of the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art from the first to the second level.

If it were any other cultivator at the Divine Ability Realm, they would probably have been annihilated by the lightning tide long ago!

If the power amplification is the same from the second to the third level...

He'll probably have to put aside his thoughts of breaking through to the third level for now.

The Nine Heavens struck as scheduled.

The world was as silent as if it had fallen silent, even the wind seemed to freeze in mid-air.

A crack appeared deep within the calamity clouds, as if a corner of the entire sky had collapsed, pressing down on the earth with immense heavenly might.

Just then, a desperate and unwilling roar came from not far away.

Faced with the ninth bolt of heavenly lightning, Xuanyangzi had lost his usual means of defense and had no choice but to use the Soul-Summoning Banner to block it first. However, the evil spirits and vengeful souls within it seemed to have angered the heavenly lightning, causing its power to increase by several times out of nowhere.

Xuanyangzi bit his tongue sharply, cursing Yu Tunzhou, that little beast, countless times in his heart.

What was supposed to be a sure-fire success in a siege and pursuit has unexpectedly escalated to this point...

Xuanyangzi couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

But the situation left him no room for further regret.

Facing the descending lightning, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask the Supreme Origin Ghost Emperor enshrined in the temple for help.

As for the cost, that's something to consider after you've survived.

"Disciple Xuanyangzi humbly begs the Ancestor to descend to earth..."

"Ah--"

A piercing scream echoed through the sky.

A vertical line was forcibly torn open between Xuanyangzi's brows, transforming into a door leading to the depths of the Nine Netherworlds.

An indescribable aura surged from the doorway; it was neither malevolent nor Evil Qi, but something more essential and ancient, as if it existed before all things came into being.

Within the vertical lines, an eye suddenly opened, and endless Netherworld aura rippled outwards, Earth Surge this world and colliding with the heavenly lightning representing ultimate yang.

Both collided and annihilated at this moment, tearing countless fine cracks in the Void, and the land within a radius of tens of miles slowly sank several feet, forming a huge basin!

Shen You, who had already run hundreds of miles away, suddenly turned around, his expression one of shock:

"Yu Tunzhou, oh Yu Tunzhou... I underestimated you. You even managed to bring out that one from the Supreme Origin Sect?"

Having said that, he didn't linger and immediately left the place.

To live a long life, you must stay away from sources of danger!

The lightning finally began to dissipate.

The clouds of destruction slowly dispersed, and sunlight shone down again, illuminating the ravaged mountains and making them appear even more desolate.

Even with the ancestor blocking his way, Xuanyangzi was still struck by lightning and slammed into the ground. His body was charred black, and the Soul-Summoning Banner broke in two and fell beside him, its surface burned to ashes.

The ancestor he had summoned from between his brows had already departed.

The final, furious growl made Xuanyangzi realize that his actions had angered the ancestor. If he couldn't bring back a satisfactory offering, he would likely be the one placed on the altar!

A moment later, Xuanyangzi crawled out from underground and looked at the cracked Soul-Summoning Banner. He trembled with heartache, his decades of hard work destroyed here!

He glared angrily at Yu Tunzhou, only to find that the boy was charred black and his clothes were torn, but the Indestructible Golden Light around him was becoming increasingly dazzling, making him look much better than himself.

This caused Xuanyangzi's expression to shift between light and dark.

He knew his own condition perfectly well. If he hadn't asked the Ghost Emperor for help, that heavenly lightning bolt would have been enough to annihilate him, body and soul!

Even with the patriarch in front of him to protect him, the remaining shockwaves further aggravated his already critical injuries.

Thinking of this, he disregarded his dignity as Grandmaster, slapped his chest, and spat out a mouthful of black Essence Blood. The Essence Blood merged into the Void, and the black aura around his body surged, transforming into a blurry blood light that fled towards the distant horizon.

Meanwhile, Yu Tunzhou had also survived the ninth tribulation of lightning. He was on the verge of death, but was recovering at an astonishing speed.

He suddenly opened his eyes. The surrounding mountains were already ravaged by the heavenly lightning, and Xuanyangzi, who had fled in the distance, was conspicuously visible.

"You old dog, don't run away!"

Yu Tunzhou forced himself to stand up and changed into a clean blue shirt.

With a thought, fueled by the abundant vitality, the top of his head, which had been devoutly worshipping Buddha once again, regained its thick, black color, and then he chased after it.

Although his condition was also poor, with his Inner Heaven and Earth completely collapsed and needing time to rebuild, the enemy's condition was even worse; otherwise, they would not have let him go.

Rounding up or down, this is the perfect time to make a move.

Moreover, he can't attract a second calamity in a short time. If he doesn't teach this beast a lesson, he'll only be able to flee in a sorry state next time it comes.

Rather than fleeing in a sorry state, it's better to let the enemy make the first run!

As Yu Tunzhou chased after him, he looked inward at his own body and found it a pitiful sight.

The Inner Heaven and Earth was riddled with holes, and the two great wonders were on the verge of collapse. However, the Dao Sprout Immortal Embryo in the Dantian, Ruyu, was not only undamaged under the tempering of heavenly thunder, but also took a step further, with immortal light flowing and pure energy descending.

The Eight-Nine Mysterious Art were also operating on its own, with Indestructible Golden Light flowing through the flesh and blood, repairing the broken meridians inch by inch.

Although he suffered severe injuries, his vitality has increased rather than decreased, and his life essence has undergone a further transformation. Once his injuries heal, his Inner Heaven and Earth will be able to advance further, and he can begin to build new wonders.

While recovering from his injuries, Yu Tunzhou kept his eyes fixed on Xuanyangzi.

Upon noticing that Xuanyangzi's escape speed was gradually slowing down, he became certain—

This fang is definitely in worse shape than I am.

At the Mount Cangwu.

An old man and a young boy walked slowly along the mountain path.

The old man wore a blue Daoist robe, had a thin face, and a simple, ancient sword hanging at his waist. His aura was as deep and profound as an abyss. He was none other than Daoist Qingya, an External Scenery elder of the Nanhua Sect.

Beside him was a boy, no more than ten years old, with delicate features, bright eyes, and a youthful spirit.

Daoist Qingya looked at the boy named Zhuang Qingping beside him with great satisfaction in his eyes.

This is the junior disciple he took in on behalf of his master during his travels in the Western Desert. He has a Daoist physique weighing seven ounces and two ounces, which is as if he were blessed by the Purple Forbidden Enclosure. It would be a waste for him to practice martial arts. He should cultivate Daoism with him.

Everyone in their Nanhua Sect is practicing swordsmanship; it's time for someone to inherit the Daoist teachings of their ancestors.

"Senior Brother," Zhuang Qingping looked up at Daoist Qingya, her eyes filled with excitement and anticipation, "I heard that the Dragon Gate Contest has ended, and with the Dragon and Tiger Ranking updated this time, Young Hero Yu will surely be ranked first, right?"

Daoist Qingya did not stop walking, but smiled and nodded, saying:

"Indeed, this child is remarkably gifted, and Lu Huaiqing's judgment is truly exceptional."

"With this child's talent, he only needs to stay at the top of the list for two years, properly hone his skills in the Divine Ability Realm, and once he breaks through to the External Scenery, entering the Earth Ranking will be a natural progression."

Zhuang Qingping listened with rapt attention, and was about to ask more questions when suddenly—

"You old dog! Don't you dare run away!"

A loud shout exploded from the distant horizon, like thunder rolling across the sky, causing the leaves of the trees along the mountain path to fall in a rustling sound.

Daoist Qingya frowned slightly. "Which External Scenery is this?"

His long sword silently emerged three inches from its sheath, its light as clear as water, protecting the master and his disciple within.

Although he was not afraid, he knew the dangers of the world and the importance of being cautious in everything he did.

In the distance, a streak of blood-red light fled in a sorry state, moving at great speed but clearly running out of steam.

A gaunt figure was enveloped in the blood-red light, his black robe torn, his hair and beard charred and tangled, his breathing extremely disordered, stumbling like a stray dog, as if he might fall from mid-air at any moment.

"The Old Devil Xuanyang?!"

Daoist Qingya's pupils contracted sharply, he gasped, and his fingers gripping the sword hilt tightened slightly.

He was present when they besieged this Old Devil in the past. At that time, he had just entered the External Scenery and witnessed the ferocious power of this fiend wielding the Soul-Summoning Banner.

Even when Senior Brother Qinghuang, a Grandmaster in the sect, personally pursued him, this fiend escaped.

Unexpectedly, after so many years, this Old Devil still dares to appear in the territory of their Nanhua Sect!

But... who beat him up like this today?!

The thought had barely formed when, seven or eight miles behind the flash of blood, a figure in a green robe was seen hot on their heels.

The young man was dressed in a plain blue robe, with a tall and straight figure. His breathing was also fluctuating, indicating that he was also seriously injured. However, his clothes were brand new and intact, which was in stark contrast to the disheveled figure fleeing in front of him.

From a distance, it exudes a sharp and assertive aura that compels one to turn their gaze away.

"You old dog of the Supreme Origin Sect, all you know is how to run away? Do you dare to turn around and fight me fair and square!"

The mocking voices carried on the wind, clear and powerful.

Daoist Qingya was deeply shocked and momentarily dazed.

Chasing after the Old Devil Xuanyang all over the mountains... Is there a powerful figure like Yu on the Earth Ranking?

As for looking young, he didn't care, since many experts can preserve their youthful appearance.

"That's... Young Hero Yu Tunzhou!"

Zhuang Qingping hid behind her master, unable to see the person's face, but recognized the voice. Her tone was full of surprise as she spoke.

"Senior brother, that's Young Hero Yu! I saw Young Hero Yu once in Qingping County last year!"

Master Qingya was deeply shocked and speechless.

The one chasing after the Old Devil Xuanyang is...

Yu Tunzhou?

A cultivator at the Divine Ability Realm chasing Grandmaster Earth Ranking all over the mountain?!