Chapter 267: Tribulating Heavens (7)
Heaven and Earth Tribe methods, when practiced together, endow one with a strength that surpasses others within the same realm.
For instance, the Penglai Palace Lord Hon Won, after mastering the Mount Tai Splitting Emperor Technique, can exhibit the strength of a late Integration stage cultivator even at the early stage.
However, mastering the methods of Heaven, Earth, and Heart together allows one to surpass an entire cultivation realm.
Even I, at the Nascent Soul stage, possess the power to defeat those at the Heavenly Being stage in an instant.
Yet, there is something odd.
Despite having cultivated the three methods of Heaven, Earth, and Heart, I possess the capability to surpass two cultivation realms.
How is that possible?
The answer is quite simple.
It is not three but four — Heaven Tribe, Earth Tribe, Heart Tribe.
And the Mad Lord (怪君).
By embedding the Mad Lord's puppetry circuit within my body, my flesh too became a kind of 'puppet', instantly amplifying my strength.
I increased my power with the methods of Heaven and Earth, multiplied it with the Heart Method, and then multiplied it once more with the Mad Lord's circuits.
Such an amplified force allows me to leap two realm stages.
Kwarurung!
With each strike, the Heavenly Tribulation is cleaved apart.
If Kim Young-hoon is splitting the instant and dividing the Heavenly Tribulation billions of times in a blink, moving at speeds invisible even to me,
I am cutting more in each strike than Kim Young-hoon.
Even still, the Heavenly Tribulation flows downwards, spilling over to Jeon Myeong-hoon and Yeon Wei.
Kururung!
Jeon Myeong-hoon swallows the Heavenly Tribulation directly, transforming it into spiritual power and sharing it with me.
Yeon Wei receives the Heavenly Tribulation, distributing it through formations to the disciples performing the Consoling Lightning Ritual, ensuring we can withstand the lightning.
Kwarurung, Kwa-rung.
Despite the relentless battering of the lightning, myself, Kim Young-hoon, Jeon Myeong-hoon and Yeon Wei, along with everyone from the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, are resisting with all our might, perhaps to the point where we are truly capable of blocking the Heavenly Tribulation.
'Maybe'
If things continue this way, we can definitely block it.
That's what I believed.
Two days passed in this state.
The power of the Heavenly Tribulation did not diminish. It only grew ever stronger.
Jeon Myeong-hoon feels like he is going to vomit. But, he shows no sign of it.
His dantian is filled with spiritual power, his cultivation has already risen to the Grand Perfection of the Heavenly Being stage, to the point he could have reached the Four-Axis stage if not for the dimensional pressure of the Head Realm.
Still, spiritual power continues to pour into him.
Setting aside that he can't fully achieve the Four-Axis stage due to the dimensional pressure of the Head Realm, he still needs to accumulate and stack at least one more layer of spiritual power.
A vessel that's already full cannot take in more water.
Jeon Myeong-hoon continued to deplete his spiritual power using the Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation Method, and he transferred spiritual power to Yeon Wei, who then shared it with Seo Eun-hyun.
However, the rate at which the spiritual power was being depleted was far slower than the rate at which it was forcibly being filled.
And on the second day,
Seo Eun-hyun and Kim Young-hoon endure using Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains and Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains, while Yeon Wei is bleeding from the seven orifices.
'Damn, this body's wavelength...'
No matter how forcefully she synchronized the frequency, it was hurriedly adjusted against time.
The wavelength of the forcibly aligned Yuan Yu began to loosen over time.
If she had only made moderate attacks without using her full power, the wavelength might have stayed synchronized longer.
But, she had to exert all her strength to block the Heavenly Tribulation.
If she holds back even slightly, the Heavenly Tribulation would descend on this continent and burn everything.
I feel like I'm going to die.
But I can't possibly stop.
I continue swinging my sword.
'The moment I stop, it's the end.'
The moment I hesitate even once with my sword, it will really be the end.
Jeon Myeong-hoon's body is about to burst from absorbing too much spiritual power, and if he bursts, Yeon Wei will also die from the Heavenly Tribulation.
That will be the end for me too, and everyone will be hit by the Heavenly Tribulation and die.
At this moment, I am at my strongest.
Tribulating Heavens Beyond the Path matching the Heavenly Being stage is filling in the other parts of Heaven, Earth, and puppetry, amplifying the power to an even greater state.
But that is my limit.
'It's gradually subsiding....'
I've used Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains too much. Any further use means only destruction awaits.
I am about to die. If so, there is only one thing left to do.
'Burn my life to sweep away the Heavenly Tribulation striking from beyond the heavens.'
That is what I have to do.
I begin to prepare for One Annihilation to the Near Shore. After channeling all my power inside the Nascent Soul, I will imbue the Nascent Soul into my sword and unleash it, exploding all that power in a fatal explosion.
'With this...'
Can it reach the heavens?
I ask the Formless Sword.
-Cut.
'...That's right, that's enough.'
If it can cut, that is enough.
As long as it can cut...!
Just when I think so..
Splurt!
Unexpectedly, the first to fall is Yeon Wei.
She vomits blood from Yuan Yu's mouth.
"Kugh!"
At the same time, she fails to hold her position at Man any longer and collapses, her soul leaving Yuan Yu and shooting like an arrow towards Yeon Jin, who is holding out in the distance.
I quickly descend to my spot, kick aside the rolling body of Yuan Yu, and hold the position of Earth.
[Please come back!]
I use heart language toward Kim Young-hoon, who is still using the Surpassing Radiant Saber in the sky.
Kim Young-hoon then comes to my and Jeon Myeong-hoon's side to reposition himself.
The three of us gather and push back the Heavenly Tribulation with all our might.
Jeon Myeong-hoon devours the Heavenly Tribulation, counter attacking with the absorbed power, while I gather all the powers of Tribulating Heavens, the Demon Race, the Heaven Tribe, and the Mad Lord, preparing the final strike even faster. Kim Young-hoon wields the Surpassing Radiant Saber even more swiftly.
Soon, our actions become reflexive where we are already in motion by the time we realize it.
But eventually, we have reached our limit.
'The position of Man is empty.'
As Yeon Wei, who was adjusting the Consoling Lightning Ritual, disappeared, the lightning became even stronger.
Simultaneously, with her gone and no longer dispersing residual lightning, thick bolts of lightning began to scatter everywhere.
'Now, is this the end?'
I chuckle bitterly as I look back at Kim Young-hoon and Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Kim Young-hoon also seems to be preparing for a significant strike like me, but it doesn't seem to be as powerful.
Just then, when we have all given up our will to live,
A familiar voice reaches my ears.
[Master, I will help you.]
"...! Hong Fan!?"
I'm startled to see Hong Fan speaking to me from inside the sealed jade bead.
"How can you help!? And how can you speak from within the seal?"
[I'm reversing the formations of the seal from within. I could have gotten out in a few days, but under the current circumstances, it's impossible. Instead, I'll give you advice!]
I recall that Hong Fan had always saved me when I was in critical situations.
"What is it, tell me!"
[First, do not let the Consoling Lightning Ritual end. It doesn't have to be just you. Anyone who can precisely operate Qi (氣) can take over.]
I look at Kim Young-hoon.
[Young-hoon Hyung-him, please come here.]
I call Kim Young-hoon over and place him in the position of Man.
Jeon Myeong-hoon of Heaven.
Seo Eun-hyun of Earth.
Kim Young-hoon of Man.
The three of us, each stepping into the positions of Heaven, Earth, and Man, stand in place.
Kim Young-hoon doesn't entirely oversee the Consoling Lightning Ritual but just slightly adjusts the energy.
Yet soon, changes begin occurring in the Three Powers Formation.
"Hong Fan, changes are starting to happen in the Three Powers. Hong Fan?"
However, unexpectedly, Hong Fan also seems perplexed.
[What? What do you mean by that?]
"What?"
It's when we are both bewildered.
Pachichichichichik!
Suddenly, through the position of Man, the small amount of spiritual power from Jeon Myeong-hoon that was continuously transferring to me began to rapidly increase.
"What?!"
"What is this!"
It's when Jeon Myeong-hoon and I are hurriedly alarmed.
Kwaleung, Kwarururung!
The Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation Method that he is emitting begins to shine.
At the same time, the characters for Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation (赤雷天劫) appears above his body.
And right after that—
Flash!
The characters for Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens (滅神劫天) appear above my own.
'This is...'
This isn't because of Hong Fan's advice.
I can feel it clearly.
I glance down at Shattered Heaven Peak.
Yes, Shattered Heaven Peak itself.
An entity from 120,000 years ago had left something behind in this Shattered Heaven Peak.
That entity is guiding us.
The spiritual power that flowed from Jeon Myeong-hoon to me is then directly connected to Kim Young-hoon.
'Why?'
As I'm puzzled,
Suddenly, a brilliant light begins to emanate from Kim Young-hoon.
"What?!"
"What's going on?!"
Both Kim Young-hoon and I are startled by the unexpected event.
But the next moment,
I doubt my own eyes.
Paatt!
Above Kim Young-hoon's body, the four characters for Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder (金神天雷) appear.
In a flash, Yang Su-jin's words cross my mind.
Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation reflects the original fate of Yang Su-jin.
Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens symbolizes his will to twist fate.
Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder represents his future success in changing fate.
And Yang Su-jin had desired to exchange his fate with that of another Ender.
I remember Yang Su-jin's words that fate is immutable.
'Maybe...'
Kugugugu!
Shattered Heaven Peak vibrates intensely.
Simultaneously, the 'force' that started with the Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation gradually sweeps towards me and then towards Kim Young-hoon.
More precisely, it begins to be absorbed by the characters for 'Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder' that appeared above his body.
Wo-woong!
Gradually, the characters for Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder above Kim Young-hoon's body begin to rise and expand into the void.
Kugugugu!
The characters ascend in all four directions and soon adhere to the sky on all sides, covering the entire territory of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.
I then realize.
120,000 years ago.
The unfulfilled wish of Yang Su-jin is being reenacted in a completely different way from what he had originally intended.
I don't know what Kim Young-hoon's fate was.
There is still a lot unknown about Enders, and why Yang Su-jin wanted to exchange fates with another is beyond me.
From what I had seen of Kim Young-hoon, he had lived quite a miserable life many times.
However, Yang Su-jin had tried to exchange his fate with someone else.
And for that, he was willing to sacrifice others to swap with his own fate.
But the result is this.
The techniques created solely for Yang Su-jin's own benefit are manifesting in a completely different form, driven only by descendants acting solely for the sake of others!
Kwarurung!
As the characters for Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder cover the four corners of Heaven and Earth, I simultaneously feel the power of the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect growing stronger everywhere.
At the same time, the Consoling Lightning Ritual they are conducting also becomes enormously powerful and surges towards the summit of Shattered Heaven Peak.
Paatt!
The power of the Consoling Lightning Ritual that had ascended to the heavens significantly weakens the power of the Heavenly Tribulation.
But that is not the end.
Kugugugu!
The spiritual power flowing from Jeon Myeong-hoon to me increases.
It isn't just a simple increase.
It incessantly sweeps in, seemingly trying to channel power to the characters for Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder through me, and I intercept this massive spiritual power midway.
It isn't just spiritual power.
It's the boundless spiritual power that Jeon Myeong-hoon had continuously gathered while enduring this insane baptism of Heavenly Tribulation.
I smile, feeling this staggering amount of spiritual power.
'I can do it.'
With this, I can ascend to the Heavenly Being stage.
Kugugugu!
I gather strength.
In the state of Grand Perfection Nascent Soul, I begin to surround my Nascent Soul with such madness-matching power.
And finally.
Powered by the endlessly flowing strength of Jeon Myeong-hoon, I am able to reach a critical point.
"...Finally."
Today.
"I have arrived,"
I will.
"At the Heavenly Being stage...!"
At last, the end of the Minor Boundary!
Kugugugugu!
A tremendous resonance begins to emanate from within my body, as I commence my ascension to the Heavenly Being stage.