110 Crossing the Tribulation

Five days passed in the blink of an eye. When Hansu and Huaiyin arrived at the Thousand-Mile Barren Mountains, nearly everyone else had already gathered.

For thirty thousand years, there had been no lack of Mahayana cultivators who had the opportunity to ascend. Yet, until the very end of their lives, none had ever seen the divine light of the Upper Realm come to guide them. Many had attempted to explore the mystery behind this, only to return empty-handed.

Even so, thirty thousand years of blood and tears were enough to fill high-level cultivators with dread. If one could not ascend, what was the point of so many years of bitter cultivation?

Some simply gave up, dedicating themselves to indulgence—enjoying fine food, beautiful companions, and all the things they had forsaken for their spiritual practice. But others, regardless of the chaos outside, kept a glimmer of hope in their hearts. Refusing to stoop to such depravity, they persisted, seeking every possible way to extend their lives in the expectation of one day achieving a breakthrough.

However, it was a devastating blow. Even searching the five realms, one could now find only three remaining Mahayana stage cultivators.

Although Suoyun and Xuanting had recovered the memories of their past lives, it was impossible for them to leap from the Transformation stage to the Tribulation stage within a century. Nevertheless, as former Realm Lords who bore some responsibility for the loss of the Heaven-Reaching Mirror, they had to attend regardless.

Aside from Rong Ling, the couple Bai Nan and Hong Yu, Suoyun and Xuanting, two other late-stage Mahayana cultivators, and Huaiyin and Hansu, there was no one else present.

As the time arrived and the moment to activate the Heaven-Reaching Mirror approached, Mingji was nowhere to be seen.

Xuanting was anxious; he had sent countless talismans to her, but they were like stones cast into the sea, receiving no response.

"Why hasn't your mother arrived yet?" he asked Huaiyin.

Huaiyin did not speak, but he could not help but recall three days ago.

The reason he had specifically sought out Hansu five days prior was, on one hand, because after a century of cultivation, he had finally broken through his sentimental tribulation. While he might still experience faint emotions, they would no longer interfere with his state of mind. On the other hand, he wanted to protect her. While others were unaware of Mingji's true intentions, he had long guessed at them from the conversations he overheard between her and Mingxin.

The reason she wanted to abduct Hansu was entirely for the sake of overcoming her own tribulation.

However, Hansu had managed to escape last time, and with her own tribulation imminent, he didn't know if she would come again.

Though his heart ached, he wanted to see his mother succeed in her tribulation. But if it required the sacrifice of Hansu, he could never allow it.

Thus, he had spent the last few days guarding the entrance to Hansu’s cave to prevent any accidents.

As it turned out, his intuition was correct.

That day, he was carving a wooden sword for Hanzhen when he felt something was wrong.

The sky was the same, the leaves swayed at the same frequency, the moon curved into the same lovely arc, and the frogs and cicadas were just as noisy—yet he felt something was off.

Setting aside his work, he tensed his body, searching for any trace of disturbance.

He realized what it was: mixed into the fragrant air of the summer night was a familiar scent.

"Mother, you're here."

There was no reply, as if everything he had experienced were merely a hallucination.

"Clang!" Sparks flew as their weapons clashed. "You actually raised your hand against me!"

The illusion dissipated, revealing Mingji’s furious face.

"Mother..." Huaiyin said nothing more, but stood firmly before the entrance of Hansu’s cave.

In the end, Mingji did not harm him and left.

He wondered what she would do today.

"No more waiting. You must all disperse. Stay within the bounds of these Thousand-Mile Barren Mountains, but do not stray too far from one another, lest the lightning tribulation be doubled," Rong Ling directed, checking the time.

Everyone knew the severity of the situation and complied without question. They each found a spot and prepared their defenses, waiting for the long-accumulated lightning tribulation that would follow the opening of the Heaven-Reaching Mirror.

Hansu had not yet had a chance to speak with Rong Ling upon her arrival. Although the situation was urgent, she wondered: she was neither a Realm Lord nor a Mahayana practitioner, so what was her purpose here?

She did not leave immediately but asked, "Immortal Lord, I..."

"Do not stray too far from me, but be prepared."

Seeing Hansu standing still, Rong Ling looked around, chose a stable spot, and with a gentle flick of his sleeve, transported her to the position with a soft force.

The time had come! He released the Heaven-Reaching Mirror. After a century of nurturing, the mirror had shed the necklace casing Mingji had crafted for it. Now, it looked like an ordinary ancient mirror.

As Rong Ling tossed it into the air, the dull surface suddenly burst into brilliant radiance. The mirror rose higher and higher, tilting at an angle, and emitted a powerful white light that shone straight into the heavens!

The intense light intensified, causing everyone to suffer temporary blindness. They closed their eyes and regulated their breath to endure the discomfort.

"Whoosh..." After an indeterminate amount of time, the heavens finally responded. It was as if a hole had been scorched into the sky; thunder rumbled instantly, and then, there was no turning back!

The tribulation lightning first descended upon Hong Yu and Bai Nan, who had artificially delayed their ascension for so long that they could no longer postpone it.

The lightning, accumulated over tens of thousands of years, was as powerful as one might imagine. Hansu had previously experienced the golden core tribulation and witnessed Huaiyin’s, but those were of the lower realms. Even the highest-grade golden lightning paled in comparison to this first wave of tribulation.

However, the force of the tribulation was also determined by the cultivator's cultivation level. Hong Yu and Bai Nan’s power rivaled that of demon immortals, so their tribulation was naturally extraordinary.

The two demons were formidable, and through years of companionship, they had learned the way of mutual support. Thus, despite the terrifying nature of the tribulation, it was nothing they couldn't handle. Soon, the nine layers of celestial lightning passed one by one. Divine guiding light descended from the firmament. The two took one last look at Xue Ling, who was held in Hansu’s arms, then clasped hands and slowly departed.

They set a good example for the others, and this auspicious start lifted the spirits of the remaining group. The two Mahayana cultivators, in particular, were stirred with excitement.

The Heavenly Dao was fair; the two Mahayana cultivators soon faced their own lightning tribulations. While significantly smaller than those of Hong Yu and Bai Nan, they were still difficult for the pair.

Almost every sect leader knew of this event—who wouldn't want their sect or family to produce an immortal? Thus, although these two came alone, they carried nearly every defensive artifact their respective forces could muster.

The scene was far less dramatic than that of the demon couple. At first, they resisted with their own power, but later, they had to rely almost entirely on the self-destruction of spiritual artifacts. If the stingy sect leader of the Yaohua Sect had been here, his heart surely would not have been able to withstand such extravagant spending.

But this was not the true path; having exhausted all their resources, they still could not withstand the final strike of the ninth layer of lightning. Tribulation is a matter of life or death—either ascension or annihilation.

The group stood in silence before their ashes for a moment. Now that the ascension path was open, Rong Ling could no longer intervene as he once had.

If he were to act, he would face the punishment of the laws of nature. Aside from him, those two had been the highest-level cultivators present; thus, despite their shared grief, no one stepped forward to save them. It was not a lack of will, but an impossibility.

Though Huaiyin was also at the Mahayana stage, he was slightly behind the others, so his tribulation came a step later. Drawing on the experience of his previous tribulation outside the secret realm, he revealed his true form. Relying on his resilient physical body and the regenerative power of his wood-attribute, he had some chance of success. With the addition of several new artifacts, he passed through without danger.

After ascension, there was a series of complex processes, which Rong Ling had already clarified for him. Although Huaiyin had regrets in the lower realm, he had largely let them go. This time, he ascended without any lingering attachment, finally able to depart freely.

With the three having completed their tribulations, it was time to settle accounts with the Realm Lords.

Suoyun and Xuanting took a deep breath, waiting. Thunder rumbled above their heads, and the black clouds pressed down low, clearly brewing a massive storm.

*Ding! Swoosh!* Hansu felt a gust of wind and found herself snatched away from her spot.

"You've come, Mingji."

"What is it, Rong Ling? Now that the passage to the Celestial Realm is open, aren't you afraid of the power of the rules?"

"It is merely a bit of backlash. The tribulation clouds are gathering; instead of preparing, you come here. Are you hoping for us to shield you from disaster again?"

"Pfft," Mingji laughed, and the pitch-black sky seemed to brighten. "What are you saying? Am I not here to undergo my tribulation as you demanded? Even if it wasn't my wish, it has caused Xuanting and Suoyun to suffer so much. If I perish here today, it is my fate. Why would I ask you to bear the burden for me?"

"Mingji, it is all because of me that your lightning tribulation has intensified. How could I not care? Rest assured, I will protect you with my life!" Xuanting, moved by her words, shouted immediately.

Suoyun, however, did not voice an opinion. Truth be told, since becoming a woman, his entire way of thinking seemed to have changed. In the past, he would have lived or died for her upon hearing such words, but now, they merely brushed past him, leaving no trace.

"If you don't wish to burden anyone, why did you try to abduct Hansu? If I hadn't been guarding her, she would likely be ten thousand miles away with you by now."

As the black clouds pressed lower with Mingji's arrival, the rolling thunder roared in the high sky. Occasionally, small bolts of lightning leaked down, and the tribulation for the group was imminent.

"There is no time; I have no leisure to argue with you today." Mingji looked at the sky and lunged toward Hansu, attempting to take her away.

Rong Ling engaged her in combat without a word. Both were Earth Immortals, and their intervention triggered the power of the rules. The sky over the Thousand-Mile Barren Mountains instantly became like purgatory. With the tribulation clouds of the three combined with the power of the rules, the lightning became even more violent. Small bolts leaked down constantly, while an even larger storm seemed to be brewing above the black clouds.

Hansu knew Mingji sought her for her lightning-conducting physique. She had already deeply experienced this. Even though the others were at a distance, she felt several times as if the thunder above were itching to burrow into her body.

In fact, because of her previous experience resisting lightning with Huaiyin, a small strand of golden lightning had condensed into a thin thread and snuck into her body while no one was looking.

This golden lightning was immensely powerful, far beyond the cluster she had collected before. However, the previous cluster had been in her body for a long time, and through a special technique, she had tamed it, and it seemed to have developed a rudimentary consciousness. It was currently working hard to subdue the new addition.

Rong Ling’s cultivation was naturally higher than Mingji's, but with Xuanting rushing in, the situation became increasingly chaotic. How would it be resolved?