Chapter 52: Thank You, Lord Heavenly Tribulation, for Taking the Time to Strike

The Primordial World… it's truly terrifying.

To the sound of chimes, Ao Yi sat on the edge of his hundred-foot-long luxurious bed, his hands trembling incessantly. The nourishing tea in his grasp spilled continuously, with only a small amount reaching his mouth.

He was trembling, his entire body quivering slightly.

Ao Yi's trembling wasn't due to fear or dread of his mother, the Tortoise Immortal, or his dragon uncles who were present, nor was it from worry about any impending punishment.

Although he had only hatched eleven or twelve years ago, he considered himself quite resilient.

Before being sent to Golden Ao Island in the South Sea to seek guidance from a great immortal of the Jie Cult, he had endured three months of torment from ice pillars and iron thorns, yet he hadn't shown the slightest sign of yielding.

This current trembling was happening naturally, beyond Ao Yi's control.

He felt utterly drained of strength, as if a shadow had settled in his heart. This shadow…

…was the root of his trembling!

As he slightly peeled back a corner of that shadow, Ao Yi saw the icy, cold face of the human old Daoist priest.

Humans, how could they be so treacherous?

Just thinking about that brief battle, Ao Yi immediately trembled even more violently.

His mother, the Dragon Queen, quickly urged several old dragons to check on her second son's condition, but the repeated conclusion reached by the old dragons was simply—

Excessive drinking.

Ao Yi's slightly prominent Adam's apple quivered up and down. He suddenly took a large gulp of the nourishing tea, brewed from dozens of precious spirit herbs, only to violently spit out a mouthful of it and retch intensely.

Several maids quickly stepped forward, but Ao Yi suddenly let out a miserable wail, his eyes wide with terror.

“Don't come closer! What are you trying to do!”

The delicate and beautiful maids quickly bowed their heads in apology and promptly retreated.

Breathing heavily, Ao Yi clutched his forehead, his trembling voice gradually softening. “Let me be alone for a bit,” he murmured, “don't come near me...”

“My son,” his dignified, beautiful, and graceful mother called out worriedly, “What on earth is wrong with you!”

Ao Yi slowly placed the empty white jade calming-spirit glass cup aside. His hand trembled, and he accidentally dropped the priceless teacup onto the jade-paved floor.

He clutched his forehead with both hands, trying to slowly peel back the shadow in his heart.

The way to conquer fear is to face it!

Anesthetic, a potent anesthetic...

A large four-sided seal smashed down on his head, knocking him unconscious and leaving his mind completely blank...

Yet his body, his very bloodline, retained many memories and sensations.

In his unconscious state, he was like a gutted, salted fish, repeatedly rinsed with seawater, from the inside out, every detail of his body meticulously cleaned...

Then coated with some kind of soap powder, and rinsed again...

During the rinsing process, seven or eight palms repeatedly patted him, and spells landed on him, just like the Dragon Palace chef tenderizing prime snowflake unicorn beef to perfect its texture...

In his coma, he once felt he was about to be eaten by that demon-like human!

No, it was worse: not a single piece of his dragon flesh would be spared. He'd be pan-fried, sliced, deep-fried, braised—every culinary method would be used to prepare his flesh, to bring out the ultimate flavor of his dragon meat feast!

This process of being prepared as an ingredient was repeated at least dozens of times!

Dozens of times!

That old Daoist wasn't human; he was the most terrifying dragon-eating beast!

No, that was the true nature of humans!

During his half-month coma, Ao Yi repeatedly replayed and relived these sensations. When he woke and saw his mother, he still thought he was dreaming, believing it was just a nightmare he'd had before hatching from his dragon egg...

But this wasn't a nightmare.

In a direct confrontation, do humans always fight the dragon race like this?

Could this be why the dragon race dared not go to war with humans?

No chance of winning, absolutely no chance.

He clearly felt the old Daoist's aura wasn't strong—it should have been much weaker than his own. Yet, he was able to...

...do that to him...

He then overheard two uncles whispering beside him:

“The protective dragon scales flared, so that villain clearly didn't intend to kill him. He just poured a lot of liquor down nephew Ao Yi's throat. Why hasn't he come to the Dragon Palace to claim his reward?”

“Perhaps he thinks we'll go back on our word and betray our promise. Alas, but according to custom, we must thank him.”

Wh-what? My Dragon Palace has to thank that dragon-eating fiend?

Ao Yi shakily stood up, about to speak, but as the words reached his lips, a scene seemed to appear before his eyes: those cold-faced old Daoists pressing his small dragon body to the seabed, summoning boundless seawater to repeatedly wash him...

And then his own family, the dragon race, would have to be profusely grateful to this demon and even give him a thank-you gift?

Was all of this part of that human old Daoist's scheme?

Could any random human Qi Refiner just appear and easily deal with a Dragon Prince of the Dragon King's bloodline like him?

Ao Yi's legs went weak, and he sank back onto the bed, gasping sharply.

The Primordial World really...

...is too terrifying.

***

Meanwhile, in the South Sea, on a coral island near the Southern Continent.

Li Changshou, in the form of the cold-faced old Daoist, sat cross-legged in a hollowed-out reef. His aura gently pulsed as wisps of spiritual energy gathered from the sea surface.

Breathing in and out, he felt completely at ease.

The world was clear and bright, and he was completely lost in his meditative state.

A moment later, a blue light flickered on Li Changshou's forehead, and several nine-petal lotus flowers floated around him, slowly revolving.

The blue light bloomed briefly, then receded.

Sounds like mountains roaring and tsunamis echoed from within Li Changshou, gradually merging with the sounds of the surrounding seawater washing over the small island.

Suddenly, with a clap of thunder, wisps of blue light emanated from Li Changshou's body, the nine-petal lotus flowers scattered, and a faint fragrance wafted around him.

Fish and shrimp within a ten-mile radius were drawn to the scent, and the lotus flowers drifted towards some creatures with notable spiritual sensitivity.

But suddenly, Li Changshou's eyes opened, filled with blue light. The lotus flowers gently shattered, and the sea creatures, sensing intense danger, immediately turned and darted away...

Enlightening creatures in the Primordial World was actually a benevolent act, capable of earning a small amount of merit rewarded by the Heavenly Dao.

However, if a creature he inadvertently enlightened transformed into a demon and harmed humans, he would bear a portion of the karma, and that small amount of merit might not even be enough to offset it...

He had broken through.

Li Changshou exhaled, looked inward, and repeatedly checked himself for a while.

Even with the most critical eye, his foundation was very solid.

Was he about to face his immortal ascension tribulation?

Li Changshou looked up at the sky, which was azure and cloudless for thousands of miles.

He seemed to be a bit short of perfection. This was slightly different from his expectation of facing the heavenly tribulation immediately upon reaching the Ninth Realm of Gui Dao.

After all, he had always prepared for the worst.

Closing his eyes and focusing, Li Changshou continued to meditate and cultivate. The small spirit-gathering array he had set up with spirit stones beneath him continuously emitted spiritual energy, which he absorbed entirely, not letting a single wisp escape.

In various directions within a ten-mile radius, several paper doll avatars were hidden at the bottom of the sea, monitoring all areas and incidentally attracting any potential ambushers.

There wasn't much in the way of arrangements around this reef; when the heavenly tribulation descended, this place would inevitably be destroyed.

He placed all his arrangements in slightly more distant areas, and they weren't defensive arrays, but exclusively escape-oriented formations.

This was to allow him to quickly relocate after dealing with the heavenly tribulation.

This was already his ideal place for undergoing tribulation; no Qi Refiners were active within a thousand-mile radius. Occasionally, Qi Refiners would pass by in the air, but mostly hundreds of miles away.

This was related to the distribution of mortal cities on land.

After half a month of meditation and cultivation, Li Changshou suddenly felt restless and uneasy, as an obscure, inexplicable Dao aura appeared around him.

The heavenly tribulation was approaching.

After entering the Ninth Realm of Gui Dao, he was still given half a month to consolidate his realm and solidify the last bit of his Dao foundation. The Heavenly Dao Lord was indeed quite ‘lenient.’

Li Changshou transformed into a swimming fish, utilizing the advantage of water evasion, and patrolled within a hundred-mile radius twice before floating back to the reef.

Come, he was ready.

This feeling was actually quite strange.

It was like facing a major life test, like the night before a crucial exam after twelve years of arduous study, unable to sleep no matter what...

“One must not be restless; calming the mind and focusing the spirit is key.”

Li Changshou silently recited a calming and purifying spell in his heart. Soon after, he took out the 'Wu Wei Jing' (Scripture of Non-Action), holding it in his hands and carefully contemplating it.

One more insight, one more bit of accumulation, and his confidence in overcoming the heavenly tribulation would increase by another fraction.

Three days later, the premonition of the coming heavenly tribulation grew stronger.

The purifying spell had lost its effect, and he could no longer calm his mind to gain insights. A subtle, almost imperceptible pressure permeated a three-mile radius, instinctively driving other creatures away from the area.

His master's last heavenly tribulation was like this: bashful and timid, dragging its feet.

He wondered if his own heavenly tribulation would be gentler, or wild and rampant, surging forth...

His heavenly tribulation.

It should be seven or eight heavenly lightning bolts, he mused.

As Li Changshou thought this, he relaxed his mind, not forcing himself to be calm, but instead embracing the unease and anxiety in his heart.

This was a reaction all living beings had when facing heavenly might, unrelated to the level of one's Dao Realm.

The Immortal Ascension Heavenly Tribulation, also known as the Dao Attainment Tribulation—Li Changshou had pondered for a long time what "Dao Attainment" truly meant.

Today, he finally had an answer.

Qi Refinement, Spirit Transformation, Void Return, and Dao Integration are, in essence, a Qi Refiner's process of learning from and imitating nature, summarizing their own unique Dao from it. This ‘Dao’ then becomes the foundation for their immortal longevity.

The Immortal Ascension Heavenly Tribulation is the Heavenly Dao's 'test' of a Qi Refiner's Dao, to determine if the Dao they have cultivated is qualified for immortal ascension.

At the same time, this heavenly tribulation is also an experience that helps Qi Refiners transcend mortality, allowing them to ascend through their own Dao.

Born as spirits, transformed into immortals.

The Dao and Dao Realm cannot be generalized, and in Li Changshou's view, giving one's own Dao a specific name was highly improper.

Just like human temperament, which can be steady or flustered, unrestrained or shy, anxious or open-minded.

The Dao is also like that.

“I, too, am like that,” he thought.

Li Changshou closed his eyes and showed a slight smile. Suddenly, wisps of breeze stirred around him, forming a whirlwind that ascended into the sky.

A muffled thunderclap sounded, and the weather over the sea surface changed abruptly. Hundreds of feet up in the sky, patches of grayish-black tribulation clouds rapidly surged, enveloping a ten-mile radius of the sea.

On the clouds, there seemed to be mountains, pagodas, heavenly soldiers arrayed, and giant gods beating drums.

The tribulation clouds presented many strange phenomena, but the clouds below began to slowly rotate. From a distance, it looked like a forming sea tornado.

But this sea tornado only formed halfway; inside, lightning flashed fiercely, and thunder roared!

Li Changshou slowly rose from the reef, shook his robes, and with a flick of his hand, twelve mage's birdcages unfurled around him. Several elixirs were already prepared in his sleeve.

His Dao body was imbued with blue light, and his primordial spirit power was fully concentrated.

Exhaling his last breath of turbid air, Li Changshou looked up, and then...

...respectfully performed a Daoist bow, using the most orthodox ancient ritual.

He then said aloud:

“A Daoist disciple today addresses the heavens:

Grateful that the heavens have sent down the tribulation of Dao attainment, this disciple sincerely accepts it.

To establish my own Dao, and become an immortal free from worries.

If the heavenly tribulation descends and this disciple cannot bear it, if my body perishes and my Dao vanishes, it is naturally because this disciple's Dao is insufficient to coexist with heaven and earth, and I shall have no regrets.

The Great Dao rings true, the Heavenly Dao is just.

Thank you, Heavenly Dao, for your concern and for granting this opportunity for immortal ascension!”

Boom—

The tribulation clouds seemed to respond, yet also seemed not to have heard what Li Changshou said, as the might of the heavenly tribulation remained unchanged.

Within the tribulation cloud vortex, several well-mouth-sized lightning patches flickered, and faint electric arcs appeared around Li Changshou.

His figure slowly rose. The twelve mage's birdcages also slowly drifted apart on the sea surface, distancing themselves from each other, to be used as reserves later.

When Li Changshou flew nine zhang high, three silvery-white lightning patches shone simultaneously, erupting into streaks of electric silver snakes!

These bolts of lightning converged in the center, forming a thunderous light as thick as a millstone, and struck directly at Li Changshou's head. Although Li Changshou's spiritual sense detected no danger, he still gathered his full magical power, imbuing it throughout his body.

His Dao body emitted a faint glow, which was then swallowed by the lightning!

The first lightning bolt's power was roughly on par with his master's third lightning bolt during his tribulation?

His own heavenly tribulation truly couldn't be taken lightly.

All the lightning bolts were blocked by Li Changshou. He looked up at the sky and then calmly waited.

The 'after-strike' sensation from this lightning just now...

It was an itchy, numb sensation. Wisps of immortal spiritual energy were already brewing within his body, and his primordial spirit was bathed in the lightning's glow.

Unexpectedly...

...it was quite comfortable.