Chapter 2006 : Under Tianyang

On this day, at the celestial center of the Ancient Immortal Ruins Continent, the Vermilion Bird Saint stood clad in crimson robes, poised atop the boundless void heavens.

Across the vast wilderness and boundless realms, there stood unparalleled prodigies of the demon race such as the Mysterious Abyss Emperor's Son (Person Name), the Kunpeng Emperor's Son (Person Name), and the True Dragon Scion (Person Name).

After a long wait, the gathered prodigies all turned their gazes in unison toward a specific point at the horizon's edge.

But at the horizon's edge, 6 figures strode across the firmament, arriving at the heart of the Celestial Central Battlefield.

These 6 individuals were none other than Eldrin’s eldest son Chen Xianzhu, his wife Susu, and his 3 disciples—Lin Xuan, Tian Hengzi, and Zhang Tingyi—alongside the unparalleled genius, Inscription-Sorrow Lord.

"Only 6 have come?"

The moment he laid eyes on these 6 figures, a faint crease formed between Eldrin's brows.

He cast a scrutinizing gaze over the 6 figures, his tone laced with detached coldness as he spoke, "I have heard that over a 100 disciples of the Sacrificial Dao Sect have entered the tribulation."

"But today's scheduled duel, why have only 6 people come? Could it be that the others have lost their nerve?"

Hearing this, the immortals’ eyes flickered almost imperceptibly, as if a glimmer of understanding had dawned within them.

The several imperial heirs from the human race nodded slightly, letting out a faint sigh of relief. 1 of them spoke up, "Engaging the main force of the demon race with 6 people while the others scatter to undergo their tribulations does seem like a sound strategy."

"In my opinion, I'm afraid it's of little use."

The Human Clan's peerless prodigy, Son of the Empyrean Emperor, Eldrin (Person Name), shook his head and said, "The demon race came precisely to face their heavenly tribulation. They would not have failed to consider this."

It was at this very moment that the Vermilion Bird Saint Son finally spoke.

His expression was icy as he gazed upon the 6 figures, boundless chill swirling in his pupils. "I have entered this tribulation for 1 purpose alone: to challenge all the prodigies of the Sacrificial Path."

"You have come with but 6 souls. Are the rest all craven curs?"

High above the heavens, the 6 prodigies of the Sacrificial Dao Path couldn't help but let out a light chuckle upon hearing this.

They exchanged a glance, and it was Lin Xuan who finally spoke, “Do you intend to stand alone against a 100 Great Luo True Seeds of our Sacrificial Path?”

Zhuque Saint Son (Person Name) stood with the Crimson Phoenix Divine Spear (Magic Treasure) in hand, his pupils gleaming with an abyssal light as he spoke coldly, "In this tribulation, I shall sweep through all contenders and subjugate every dissenter!"

"Your paltry Sacrificial Dao means nothing to me! Even if a 100 Great Perfected Golden Seeds were to attack simultaneously, what could they possibly do to me?"

"What impressive spirit."

The prodigies of the demon race all nodded in agreement, voicing their approval 1 after another.

The Darkmystic Imperial Heir nodded, a trace of amusement in his eyes. "To stand alone against over a 100 Great Luo True Seeds of the Sacrificial Path—such brilliance and daring truly befits the heir of a Quasi-Sage."

The 6 of them could no longer hold back. In the end, Tianhengzi (Person Name) spoke up, "Leave it to me."

As his voice faded, Tianhengzi (Person Name) took a single step that shattered the heavens. With a sweep of his sleeve in the turning of a palm, he unleashed a force capable of inverting the cosmic order of Yin and Yang, sweeping across the battlefield.

Vermilion Bird Holy Son was taken aback for a moment, then sneered coldly, "How audacious!"

话音落下，朱雀圣子驾御赤霄神矛腾空，一Eldrin (Person Name)间便已是击穿苍茫天地。

In the blink of an eye, the 2 had already exchanged a 100 moves, only to stand facing each other once more in the next instant—astonishingly, neither had gained the upper hand.

At that moment, the Vermilion Bird Saint Son turned to face Tianhengzi, his expression growing solemn as he stated, "A True Spirit Body... no, this isn't a True Spirit Body."

"By condensing 1's entire cultivation base into a single point, 1 may craftily forge a True Spirit Body. Though this power seems genuine yet not entirely authentic, it can still be considered a true foundation of the True Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root)."

The Vermilion Bird Saint Son spoke slowly, "This method reduces the difficulty of cultivating a True Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root) foundation by no less than tenfold. It seems the Path of Sacrifice indeed holds some merit."

"Alas, even by sacrificing 1's entire foundation, this method can only cultivate a single True Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root). It remains an unorthodox path after all, hardly worthy of gracing the halls of elegance."

In the span of a mere instant, the Vermilion Bird Saint Son grasped the strengths and flaws of the Path of Self-Sacrifice.

All the peerless young masters present nodded in agreement, clearly having perceived the profound mysteries within the Sacrificial Art.

The Path of Sacrificing the Self fused all of 1’s foundations into 1, and the Sacrificial Self Body cultivated through it was exceptionally powerful. The difficulty of achieving a True Spirit Body was far simpler compared to ordinary True Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root) foundations.

However, this approach also sacrificed the opportunity to cultivate the foundation of the 7 Great True Spiritual Roots (Spiritual Root). Thus, in the eyes of truly peerless prodigies, it was merely an unorthodox and unconventional path.

However, many of the ancient immortals present had their eyes gleaming with fervor.

Perhaps for a prodigy like the Vermilion Bird Saint, establishing a dual True Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root) foundation or even a triple True Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root) foundation posed no challenge. Yet for the vast majority of ancient immortals, achieving a True Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root) foundation would remain forever beyond their reach.

It is essential to understand that forging a True Spiritual Root Foundation is an immensely difficult feat. Even among those who have reached the 8-Tribulation Ancient Immortal realm, fewer than 1 in 10 1000 ever succeed in achieving it.

The vast majority of ancient immortals could never have reached this stage to begin with. If they were to switch to cultivating the Path of Self-Offering, wouldn’t that mean they would have a glimmer of hope to establish a True Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root) foundation?

For those supreme prodigies with the potential to attain the Primordial Chaos Emperor realm, this might be considered an unorthodox path. Yet for the vast majority of ancient immortals, it represents nothing less than a direct passage to the heavens.

At this thought, many of the ancient immortals present exchanged glances, a flicker of temptation gleaming in their pupils.

"Hmph—"

In that instant, the Vermilion Bird Saint Son seemed to have sensed something, his expression instantly darkening.

Unwilling to let the Sacrificial Ascension Path's reputation spread further, he immediately fixed a cold gaze upon Tianhengzi and said, "I presume you are the foremost among the Sacrificial Ascension Path's 100 prodigies?"

"A single True Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root) foundation, yet you possess such strength. Even if you cultivate unorthodox methods, even at a grievous price, you are indeed no weakling."

"Yet this alone will ultimately confine 1 to a foundation of a single True Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root)."

"Today, I shall show you what it truly means to be an invincible prodigy of the True Spirit!"

As the words faded, the Phoenix Saint's physique erupted with an eternal incandescent light, while boundless truths of the primordial soul flooded the heavens, weaving into infinite divine patterns that intertwined upon the Crimson Flame Qi (Spiritual Root) divine spear.

In an instant, the heavens trembled and the earth quaked, as the sun, moon, and stars began to sway violently.

"This is..."

In that instant, everyone present changed countenance.

Even the son of the Brilliant Emperor changed countenance, his expression turning profoundly grave as he uttered, "Dual True Spiritual Root foundations! This youth's aptitude is likely on par with the Vermilion Bird Paragon from ages past."

"Not good, the Chief of the Path of Self-Sacrifice is about to face calamity..."

With this thought in mind, the son of Emperor Minghuang immediately intended to intervene, yet found himself locked in place by an intangible aura.

He immediately turned to look, only to find the current Imperial Scion of the Kunpeng lineage gazing at him with a faint smile. "Young Master Minghuang, why the haste to intervene?"

The Heart of Emperor Minghuang sank, but before his thoughts could even flicker through his mind, he suddenly witnessed an overwhelming aura erupt across the heavens.

In that instant, Prince Minghuang’s heart sank. He hurriedly looked up, only to reveal an expression of utter disbelief.

Above the firmament, Tianhengzi stood clad in azure immortal robes, like an ancient Celestial King poised atop the heavens.

10 Indestructible Immortal Treasures circled and spiraled behind him. With 1 hand forming a suppressive seal, he summoned 9 immortal wheels resembling chaotic celestial suns, pressing them down with overwhelming force. The Vermilion Bird Saint Son was violently suppressed, forced to kneel on 1 knee under the immense pressure.

"Ah—"

At that very moment, the Vermilion Bird Saint Son’s face flushed crimson as he unleashed a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering roar.

He had pushed the power of his True Spirit Body to the absolute limit, with the Great Dao of True Spirit intertwining around the Crimson Phoenix Divine Spear, resisting with all his might the descending Great Deduction Immortal Wheel.

Yet Tianhengzi remained utterly at ease. Behind him in the void, the 10 Indestructible Immortal Treasures emanated eternal divine radiance, containing nearly inexhaustible power.

As he pressed his hand down in a sweeping motion, the scorching threads of the Great Dao intertwined and converged into the Great Derivation Celestial Wheel, suppressing the Vermilion Bird Saint Son until he could not rise an inch.

"This is..."

The Radiant Imperial Son was utterly astounded, murmuring to himself in awe, "Primordial Origin, Blood and Qi, Physical Extremis, Vital Essence, Soul, Dao Heart, Eternal Life, Celestial Secrets, Cosmic Laws, Grand Paradiso."

"These are the 10 supreme origins concealed within the void, their power nearly equivalent to 10 dantians."

"This must be using the power of external immortal reserves to compensate for the inadequacy of the Sacrificial Art's single True Spiritual Root foundation?"

The son of the Western Pole Cavern Void Sword Emperor also murmured in astonishment, his tone tinged with disbelief as he spoke.

"Not only that, but within his Sacrificial Self body, there seemed to exist an inner cosmos. Only through the union of this inner cosmos and the external immortal repository could they weave together an endless stream of supreme power."

In that instant, the peerless young masters of various dynasties exchanged glances, each revealing a flicker of temptation in their eyes.

From what can be seen now, the Path of Self-Sacrifice holds an almost overwhelming advantage over the immortal path of the Ancient Immortal Realm.

Were it not for the fact that the Path of Sacrifice could only reach the Great Perfection Realm for now, they might well have been unable to resist prostrating themselves before the Eldrin (Person Name) and hailing him as the Dao Ancestor.

"Twin True Spiritual Roots (Spiritual Root) foundation, is that all there is to it?"

At the same time, Tianhengzi (Person Name) spoke calmly from the heavens, a trace of indifference flickering in his gaze.

He wielded the Great Deduction Heavenly Wheel, pressing it down as if an entire vast celestial realm were crushing down upon the Scarlet Sparrow Saint. The overwhelming force suppressed him so completely that he could barely draw breath.

At this moment, Tianhengzi (Person Name) felt a surge of excitement within his heart. He knew full well his true capabilities—at best, he was only slightly stronger than the Vermilion Bird Saint Son (Person Name).

By all logic, Zhen Yuan should have been utterly incapable of suppressing such a formidable foe.

The reason this battle could be so effortlessly dominated was entirely due to the Dayan Heavenly Wheel bestowed by my master—a treasure of truly extraordinary power.

This treasure was not only immensely powerful, but it also resonated perfectly with the very foundation of his cultivation, allowing him to unleash the full potential of the 10 great immortal treasuries of the Sacrificial Path.

Even so, completely suppressing the Vermilion Bird Saint Son at this moment seemed effortless and unchanged on his face, but in reality, he had already exerted a good 70 to 80 percent of his strength.

"Ah—"

At that very moment, the Vermilion Bird Saint Son ultimately refused to endure this humiliation. With a world-shaking roar, he desperately unleashed his ultimate techniques through self-maiming, erupting with an extraordinary divine power rarely seen in this world. In an instant, he overturned the Great Derivation Heavenly Wheel.

In an instant, he transformed into a crimson phoenix soaring through the skies, sweeping forth with world-obliterating force.

"The immortal phoenix spreads its wings—is this the world-shaking divine ability of the Vermilion Bird lineage, the Vermilion Bird Heaven-Severing Slash?"

Confronting the peerless lethal divine ability of the Vermilion Bird bloodline, Tianhengzi (Person Name) remained unperturbed. With his hands clasped behind his back, he retreated 3 steps as casually as strolling through a garden. Between his ethereal gestures, he summoned the Great Derivation Heavenly Wheel (Magic Treasure).

In an instant, 9 blade wheels interwove and crisscrossed, transforming into endless arcs of light that clashed fiercely thousands of times.

In an instant, the void shattered. Mountains, rivers, sun, and moon crumbled into dust beneath the interweaving arcs of blade light, while the fabric of spacetime itself fractured into endless chasms under the force of their clash.

Even so, the Phoenix Clan's peerless killing technique proved truly extraordinary, managing to tear through the encirclement of these spiritual treasures by sheer force.

Seeing the Vermilion Bird Scion still charging forth, Tianhengzi's pupils finally contracted slightly.

In an instant, the 10 great immortal treasures behind him surged with power, immediately summoning 9 Grand Yan Blades. In the blink of an eye, they converged before him, coalescing into a single ancient celestial wheel resembling a shield.

In that very instant, the Vermilion Bird Holy Son had already closed the distance.

"Boom—"

After a world-shaking collision, the vast mountain range spanning the entire Tianyang territory was flattened to the ground by the residual shockwaves.

Across the boundless expanse of the Ancient Immortal Ruins, endless chaotic mountains and boulders surged upwards, hovering weightlessly in the air.

At the heart of the clash, everything was utterly engulfed by endless chaotic currents, obscuring all that transpired within.

"Is it over?"

In the Void Heaven, all the heroes observing the battle wore solemn expressions, their gazes heavy with gravity as they turned toward the heart of the battlefield.

And in that very instant, another earth-shattering roar erupted from the heart of the battlefield.

Close behind, a crimson figure was sent flying backward, crashing into the distant Primordial Chaos Divine Mountain.

Then, a figure in azure robes strolled forth.

Tianhengzi remained clad in his azure daoist robes, untouched by even a speck of dust. The 10 Great Immortal Treasures orbiting behind him blazed with dazzling brilliance, radiating an eternal light that illuminated all realms.

"You have forced me to unleash my full cultivation base."

Watching the disheveled Vermilion Bird Saint Son who had fallen into the divine mountain, Tianhengzi spoke slowly before finally praising, "You... are not half bad!"

Boom—

In that instant, the faces of the demon horde’s champions changed drastically, never expecting such a scene to unfold.

They all turned their gazes toward the Scarlet Phoenix Scion, only to find him drenched in blood, his face etched with sheer terror as he stared at Tianhengzi (Person Name).

He took a deep breath and spoke with rare respect, "Your cultivation is no weaker than that of 1 with 3 True Spiritual Roots (Spiritual Root)."

"Such a prodigious talent, truly worthy of being the true successor of the Eldrin."

The Vermilion Bird Saint Son spoke slowly, finally taking a deep breath before saying, "I admire your talent and spirit, but we serve different masters. In the end, a victor must emerge between us."

As he spoke, the Vermilion Bird Saint Son scanned his surroundings before finally declaring, "Fellow Daoists of the demon race, if we allow this creature to mature, humanity will likely gain another Sovereign of the Returning Abyss."

"Strike now, or when?"

As his words faded, 1 after another, the proud prodigies of the demon race soared into the air, encircling Tianhengzi at the very heart of the battlefield.

At the forefront, over a dozen peerless prodigies had emerged 1 after another.

There were the peerless Imperial Sons of the Bifang lineage, the secret-transmitting Imperial Sons of the Baize bloodline, and the invincible Imperial Sons of the Kunpeng clan.

So many peerless prodigies, and even the weakest among them were unprecedented geniuses who had cultivated 3 indestructible foundations.

They tightly encircled Tianhengzi (Person Name), determined to crush this peerless prodigy of their era.

High above in the firmament, Chen Xianzhu’s gaze flickered with a slight frown before he spoke, “Which of you will go to lend a hand?”

Seeing this, Zhuan Choujun calmly stated, "Sending 1 person is sufficient. I shall not intervene."

All nodded in agreement. Master Zhuan Chou was a rare genius whose self-created Dreamwalk Ascension Art was unparalleled in this world. Even the Abyssal Emperor marveled at his brilliance.

If he were to take action himself, this battle would likely become rather dull.

It was clear that while these prodigies of the demon race present were not weak, none among them was a worthy opponent to merit the intervention of Master Script-Sorrow.

Witnessing this, Lin Xuan finally spoke up, "Since that's the case, I shall take action."

The others nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

Among the 3 new personal disciples Eldrin had taken in, Tianhengzi excelled in the art of divination, yet his combat prowess ranked last among the trio.

Zhang Tingyi excelled in the Dao of Space, surpassing Tianhengzi by a slight margin.

Lin Xuan excelled at breaking through limits. Over the years, he had continuously delved into the Immortal Relic of Imperishability, even managing to reduce the difficulty of mastering it.

Such a figure had reached an unimaginable level in excavating the limits of immortal treasures, even ranking first among the 10 personal disciples. His combat prowess was naturally formidable.

If 1 were to say that the immortal legacies of Zhang Tingyi and Tianhengzi had only just stepped into the threshold of the Immortal Realm of Imperishability.

In that case, Lin Xuan's Immortal Indestructible Body had at least reached the upper echelon, if not the pinnacle level of Immortal Indestructible Bodies.

With such profound foundations and having obtained 10 immortal treasures from Eldrin (Person Name), his combat prowess naturally ranked first among the 3.

At this thought, Chen Xianzhu spoke, "If that is the case, then I must trouble you, Junior Brother."

"Very well, very well."

As the words fell, Lin Xuan had already stepped out into the void.

With a flick of his sleeve, he strode forth with sword in hand, charging toward the heart of the battlefield with the power to annihilate primordial chaos.

Facing such a strike was the current Crown Prince of the Bifang Imperial Clan.

This individual was the direct grandson of Emperor Bifang, whose innate talent and brilliance were unparalleled since time immemorial, and a prodigy among the 7 peerless masters of the Indestructible Foundation.

Such a figure, capable of holding his own even against true spirit prodigies, initially paid Lin Xuan no mind. With a mere flick of his wrist, he unleashed a sword aura intending to obliterate him outright.

But a single misstep by Eldrin, and it would mean the difference between life and death.

Lin Xuan took a single step that traversed the heavens, casually shattered the sword qi with a flick of his hand. Then, striding through the firmament, he brushed past the Bifang Imperial Son and plucked the head from his shoulders in 1 fluid motion.

A fine head!

"Hahaha..."

Lin Xuan threw his head back in hearty laughter, drew a flask of wine from his waist and drained it in 1 swift draught. Gripping his sword firmly, he charged once more toward the heart of the battlefield.

Endless wine in the cup, countless heads of demonic immortals to sever.

"Not good!"

The sudden demise of Prince Bifang sent a wave of terror through the demon crowd. Some were seized with shock and fury, plunging the gathering into chaos in an instant.

Guided by the 2 prodigies of true spirit lineage—the Vermilion Bird Imperial Son and another—the demon horde barely managed to stabilize their formation. Yet when they sought to confront the duo, they realized the situation had grown perilously precarious.

In battles at the Ancient Immortal level, it would be no exaggeration to say that all beneath the True Spirit realm are but ants.

Without cultivating an Indestructible Foundation, 1 wouldn't even qualify to intervene in the battlefield.

Facing 2 Foundation Establishment experts with True Spiritual Roots (Spiritual Root) and a third-tier true spirit prodigy, the demon horde's morale was nearly shattered in mere moments.

High above in the firmament, Chen Xianzhu could not help but feel deeply moved.

The current generation's Void Successor of the Path of Self-Sacrifice had already cultivated 10 Indestructible Immortal Vaults upon entering the tribulation, their combat prowess far surpassing that of Ye Yinghui's era.

Among the 5 true inheritors of that generation, none had cultivated the 10 Indestructible Immortal Vaults when they entered the tribulation. Their combat prowess could only rival that of a single True Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root) foundation, or at most dual True Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root) foundations. Thus, they ultimately fell prey to the joint hunt by the united forces of the demon tribes.

However, in this generation, the 3 had cultivated the Indestructible Immortal Depository and their combat prowess was no longer what it used to be.

Not to mention, Eldrin was now also a figure of Imperial Lord stature, and the methods he could bestow upon his disciples would be no weaker than those of the direct descendants of the Imperial Court.

With this thought in mind, Chen Xianzhu spoke, "If the demon race has no further tricks up their sleeves, this battle will hold little suspense."

"Bzzz—"

At that very moment, the void abruptly fell into absolute stillness.

In an instant, a brilliant radiance blossomed from the depths of the empty sky. A Heaven-Sundering Halberd capable of annihilating worlds tore through the firmament, violently cleaving the heart of the battlefield in 2.

Then, the endless chaos shattered asunder. Beams of eternal golden light pierced through the void, tearing through the primordial disorder with layers of celestial radiance.

Everyone looked up and saw, at the edge of the heavens, a majestic figure standing firm amidst the chaos.

He merely stood there, yet a golden sun soared behind his head, its countless sacred rays piercing through layered clouds. Through his majestic silhouette, shadows shrouded over half the firmament.

"It's him."

The Vermilion Bird Saint Son turned his head, his voice tinged with both caution and pleasant surprise.

At that very moment, the newcomer moved.

With a serene expression, he strolled forth and stood poised above Tianyang, like an ancient Celestial Emperor gazing down upon the myriad realms, his eyes sweeping over Lin Xuan and Tianhengzi below.

After a moment of silence, he finally smiled and spoke with a measure of calm.

Chaos surges in endless tides, while eternity flows through the eons.

In the blink of an eye, over a dozen kalpas had passed. "Having suppressed my cultivation for such an eternity, I have finally awaited your arrival."

"Disciple of an old friend." (Chapter End)

Chapter 1 The mountain peak pierced through the sea of clouds like a verdant sword, where a young man in blue robes sat cross-legged. His name was Lin Feng, a disciple of the Azure Mist Sect who had been stuck at the third level of Qi Refinement for 3 years. "Another failed attempt," Lin Feng sighed, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. The spiritual energy within his dantian churned violently like stormy waves. Suddenly, spatial ripples emerged before him. A jade slip materialized out of thin air and floated gently into his palm. Ancient characters glowed upon its surface: "Heavenly Codex of the 9 Revolutions." His spiritual sense probed the jade slip, and torrential information flooded his mind. This was no ordinary cultivation method—it was a supreme art that allowed 1 to reconstruct their foundation through 9 cycles of destruction and rebirth. "Who would create such a dangerous technique?" Lin Feng murmured. According to the records, 8 of the previous practitioners had perished during the cultivation process, their bodies and souls utterly annihilated. Yet the ninth... had ascended to immortality. Taking a deep breath, Lin Feng circulated what little spiritual energy remained within him. Following the esoteric method described in the jade slip, he began shattering his own cultivation base. Crack! A sound like shifting tectonic plates echoed from his dantian. Excruciating pain coursed through his meridians, yet his eyes burned with unprecedented determination. 3 days and nights passed. When Lin Feng reopened his eyes, golden light shimmered within his pupils. Though his cultivation had regressed to the first level of Qi Refinement, his spiritual foundation now appeared flawless as jade. He could sense spiritual energy from miles away as clearly as seeing his own palm. Even the morning dew sliding down leaf veins appeared vividly in his perception. "This is just the First Revolution?" Lin Feng whispered in awe. From his storage pouch, he retrieved a low-grade spirit stone. The previously dim stone now glowed with dazzling brilliance in his hand, its spiritual energy flowing into him like rivers returning to the sea. In mere moments, the spirit stone turned to dust. A crisp notification echoed in his mind: [First Revolution of 9 Revolutions Heavenly Codex completed. Host's spiritual root purified to Heavenly Grade.] A black token fell from the void, engraved with the single word "Heaven." At that moment, a sharp whistle cut through the air. A flying sword descended, its edge pointed directly at Lin Feng's forehead. "Lin Feng, hand over the spirit stones you owe!" came a cold voice.