readytorunbook Chapter 176 A Passing Life And Death Crisis
Chapter 176 A Passing Life And Death Crisis
Chapter 176: A Brush with Life and Death Crisis
Outside, the wind was raging and the sky was filled with turbulent thunderstorms. The rolling clouds of calamity were rapidly converging and piling up overhead. Both the thunderstorms and the calamity clouds were a dark blood color, which looked terrifying.
Yu Lingzhou and the other celestial maidens had arrived, witnessing Qin Muling beginning his Transcending Tribulation. They immediately joined forces and used their respective Spiritual Treasures to create a thick rainbow light curtain that enveloped the area, isolating it from the outside and sealing off the entire palace.
"We were careless!"
Celestial Lord Bingyuan furrowed her eyebrows, her voice filled with regret. "I realized that we made a mistake. We shouldn't have let Qin Muling undergo his Transcending Tribulation here."
The territory of the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace was ultimately not comparable to their own sects. Moreover, with the gathering of various guests during the grand celestial gathering, there were many people and distractions. If anything were to happen to Qin Muling, the consequences would be unbearable for the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace.
Yu Lingzhou's face changed, as if she realized something. Her soft voice trembled slightly. "Are you saying... it shouldn't be that bad, right?"
Given Qin Muling's background, if he were to undergo the Heart Devil Tribulation, the celestial phenomena caused would obviously be different from ordinary cultivators. The disturbance caused by the leakage of his aura would likely attract the attention of important figures in the celestial court. A slight investigation would reveal that something was amiss.
Of course, this was not the most critical issue. If they were to alarm that terrifying existence in the Genesis Star Palace, the horrifying consequences it would bring about were beyond her imagination.
"At this point, what use is there in regret?"
Celestial Lord Yueyi said coldly, "Everyone, give it your all. We must conceal this anomaly no matter what, unless you want the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace to be destroyed."
The elders no longer hesitated and each summoned their own Spiritual Treasures. Some reinforced the seal, while others ascended to the sky, attempting to use their powerful Divine Abilities to disperse the calamity clouds in the sky.
Inside the cultivation chamber.
Countless dark red calamity fires in the shape of ruyi continuously emerged from Qin Muling's body, swirling lightly around him like festering sores, unable to be rid of.
These calamity fires burned Qin Muling's flesh, soul, and spirit from the inside out. Under the unimaginable high temperature, his vitality, spiritual energy, and magical power were rapidly depleting. His flesh, soul, and spirit quickly withered, to the point where even his bones gradually became visible.
However, the calamity fires showed no signs of stopping. On the contrary, they burned more fiercely, as if they were going to completely incinerate him.
Accompanied by the rumbling thunder in the sky, a blood-colored lightning bolt as thick as a water bucket fell from above, crashing onto the protective formation formed by the rainbow light curtain. It flickered for a moment and disappeared without a trace.
Immediately after, countless blood-colored thunderbolts continued to fall incessantly, as dense as rain hitting banana leaves.
The celestial maidens Xue Bingxuan and the others exchanged glances, unable to hide their shock in their watery and translucent eyes. When they underwent the Heart Devil Tribulation in the past, the power of the calamity was not even close to what they were seeing now. Even so, they still had lingering fears and did not want to recall the nightmarish and painful experience.
"Young Junior Brother, use the power of the heavens and earth's merits to resist the calamity as quickly as possible!"
Celestial Lord Bingyuan urgently transmitted her voice. Every moment of delay increased the risk of Qin Muling's exposure. The most suitable strategy at the moment was to quickly endure the calamity by consuming a massive amount of merits.
Although the cost was somewhat exaggerated, it was something that had to be done for the safety of Qin Muling and the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace.
In the center of the calamity fire, Qin Muling, who was struggling to withstand it, immediately made up his mind. The golden seal above his head emitted a brilliant light, and the immense golden light of merits poured down like the Milky Way, surging into Qin Muling's body.
Wherever he went, the raging inferno of calamity was indeed suppressed and visibly dimmed, even the frequency of thunder falling from the sky slowed down.
Qin Muling took the opportunity to retrieve several bottles of genuine Qi-replenishing pills from his spatial bracelet and swallowed them all at once.
The pills melted in his mouth, and the rich and pure medicinal power spread through his chest and abdomen, permeating his organs and replenishing his depleted vitality.
In an instant, Qin Muling's withered flesh and blood body was restored. The surface of his fair skin shimmered with a peerless jade-like luster, clean and flawless. The burnt hair grew back, soft and black as ink.
Just as Xue Bingxuan and the other women breathed a sigh of relief, they didn't expect that within a few moments, an even more intense calamity fire erupted from Qin Muling's dantian, enveloping him like a huge fireball. The flesh that had just recovered was burned black again, almost revealing his skeleton.
At the same time, the speed of thunder falling from the sky suddenly became faster and denser, creating ripples on the outer light curtain.
This was the characteristic of the tribulation of the heart demon. As long as the cultivator's vitality and spirit were not exhausted, the calamity fire would continuously evolve from the dantian. Without experiencing a life-or-death test, it would be impossible to pass smoothly.
Fortunately, the golden seal above Qin Muling's head continued to pour out the golden light of heavenly merit. After a brief stalemate, the high-temperature calamity fire was finally suppressed and gradually disappeared.
However, he couldn't relax at this moment. Who knew if there would be another wave? For ordinary cultivators, transcending tribulation was extremely dangerous. With his extraordinary background, it would be foolish to think he could pass through easily.
Sure enough, after only a few dozen moments, a more intense calamity fire descended.
And this time, it wasn't just the calamity fire. In the vast and boundless Extreme Void Starry Sky, in a mysterious space that was untouchable, untraceable, and unimaginable, strands of chaotic ripples came out of nowhere and lightly swept across countless star clusters, star domains, and immortal realms, spreading throughout the vast void.
"It's coming again?"
Ice Kite Heavenly Lord's face changed drastically. When she was with Qin Muling last time, she had felt the presence of that mysterious consciousness and narrowly avoided it. Now, at this critical moment, it actually appeared again?
Qin Muling also sensed it, understanding that his aura during the transcending tribulation had attracted the attention of that mysterious existence. But there was nowhere to hide now, he could only bear it.
"So be it, out with the old, in with the new!"
Qin Muling gritted his teeth and raised his hand to tap the golden seal above his head. The golden light of heavenly merit, which was more than ten times brighter than before, burst out, turning into a canopy covering an area of over a hundred acres. Purple qi filled the air, and auspicious colors rose, enveloping the entire palace.
With this, the calamity clouds in the sky immediately lost their target. Thunder rumbled between the clouds, but no longer fell.
Ice Kite Heavenly Lord had a telepathic connection and immediately instructed all the elders to enter the canopy of heavenly merit, hold their breath, and be on high alert as if facing a great enemy.
After a few breaths, the chaotic ripples spread to the Miro Immortal Realm, sweeping through the important places of the sect, probing back and forth thousands of times, carrying an obvious sense of doubt. It lingered for a while before silently dissipating into nothingness.
After confirming that the other party would not appear again, Qin Muling cautiously removed the protection of the canopy of heavenly merit.
"Young Junior Brother, is the calamity... over?"
Qi Yalan's beautiful eyes stared at Qin Muling, asking anxiously.
"It's fine."
Qin Muling let out a sigh and looked at the golden seal with some pain. After going through the recent ordeal, he had almost exhausted the five hundred million merits of the world.
But this was a necessary price to pay. Not only were his senior sisters involved, but Yu Lingzhou, Bingyuan Tianjun, and himself also had significant karmic entanglements. As long as that mysterious existence caught even a hint of their trail, it could immediately trace back and capture their life trajectories.
At that time, not only would he be in great danger, but it was likely that none of the female cultivators from Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace would be able to survive. The entire sect would be at risk of collapse.
The only advantage was that he had successfully passed the Heart Demon Tribulation and could now have a period of stability. With enough experience, he could be better prepared for the next Transcending Tribulation and avoid triggering a similar crisis again.
"Young Junior Brother, how do you feel?"
Yueyi Tianjun, Bingyuan Tianjun, and the other female cultivators gathered around, their clear and watery eyes filled with concern.
"Not bad, after all, it's over now," Qin Muling said. The Heart Demon Tribulation was the first major tribulation that cultivators faced on their path. Only a few could successfully pass it. It tempered their entire body, including their magical power, soul, and physical body, and eliminated the demonic thoughts in their hearts. Once successfully passed, the benefits were too numerous to mention.
Compared to the True Self Realm, the lifespan of a cultivator in the Heart Demon Realm did not change significantly. It was only when they further advanced and reached the Destiny Realm that their lifespan would increase by over a thousand years.
For human cultivators, the limit was the lifespan of ten thousand years before the Immortal Transformation stage. No matter what kind of elixirs or miraculous medicines they took, they couldn't break this iron rule of the heavens.
"It's good that you're fine," Yu Lingzhou quickly said, "You should continue to cultivate in seclusion and stabilize your cultivation level. If someone from the sect comes to inquire, we will handle it."
"Okay," Qin Muling thought it made sense. It was not suitable for him to show up now.
So he changed to another cultivation room, and Xue Bingxuan and the other five women continued to accompany Qin Muling in seclusion cultivation. Bingyuan Tianjun repaired the damaged palace and sent someone to inform the sect about what had happened.
With no outsiders present, Qin Muling finally relaxed and had a brief conversation with his senior sisters before entering a state of deep enlightenment again.
The patterns on the surface of the Innate Primordial Spirit Seed in his sea of consciousness became more intricate and dense. The radiance of the Primordial Violet Qi filled the air, and the seventh shadow of the Azure Lotus had completely emerged and stabilized. The clear brilliance, like water, illuminated the entire sea of consciousness. Using the secret method of Divine Ability, Qin Muling once again saw a significant increase in his own luck, surpassing four times that of when he reached the complete True Self Realm, and it was still increasing.
"The previous method of concealing my heavenly secrets may not be enough. I have to ask Bingyuan Tianjun and the others to help once more, otherwise it will be difficult to explain to the outside world, especially Emperor Qing Huan and her daughter..." Qin Muling pondered to himself. With the current amount of luck he possessed, he had already surpassed the entire Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace. It was equivalent to the old Supreme sects like Jade Pearl Star Palace and Nine Spirits Clear Origin Gate. If it were to be known by the outside world, it would be too shocking.
After reaching the Heart Demon Realm, his original Divine Abilities had all been enhanced to varying degrees. For example, his talent in discerning all formations, restrictions, and curses had expanded from a range of five hundred miles to over a thousand miles, and those below the True Immortal level could not escape his perception.
The same applied to his Luck Perception. As long as the target's cultivation level was below the Immortal Transformation stage, Qin Muling could easily see through all their secrets. Even the monstrous geniuses were no exception. Only if there was a Monarch-level expert who could confuse the yin and yang and shield the heavenly secrets, could they avoid his detection.
With the growth of the Innate Primordial Spirit Seed, Qin Muling's ability to cultivate using the essence of Spirit Medicine had also made significant progress. With just one use, he could increase their medicinal power by fifteen hundred years. If he wished, it would not be a problem for him to mass cultivate Divine Medicine in the future.
The maximum distance he could teleport in the void had exceeded a hundred thousand miles. He could use it once a day, allowing him to instantly escape from any dangerous situation or restrictions of formations.
True Self Realm's chosen Divine Ability, Divine Talent, can temporarily elevate one's cultivation by three major realms for half an hour. With the assistance of a powerful Law Treasure and suitable tactics, it is easy to kill enemies of higher levels. The only downside is the exaggerated cost, which consumes hundreds of years of lifespan each time it is used.
Now, after breaking through the Heart Demon Realm, the cost has not decreased but increased. It now requires two hundred years of lifespan to use it once.
Qin Muling was speechless for a while, but after careful consideration, he understood. When using this Divine Ability in the True Self Realm, the maximum strength that can be reached is only the Immortal Transformation realm. But now, it can reach the Immortal Ascension realm, which has a completely different level of destructive power and can deal with stronger enemies. Therefore, there is nothing difficult to understand.
Ten days quietly passed. When Qin Muling opened his eyes again after stabilizing his cultivation in the Heart Demon Realm, his senior sisters had already finished their cultivation and were whispering nearby.
...
In the important place of the Daoist Court's mechanism.
"...Has the reason been found out?"
Emperor Qing Huan's elegant and dignified voice sounded softly.
"It has been found out. It was Qin Muling's tribulation of crossing the Heart Demon that triggered the Celestial Phenomenon anomaly. And... it may also be attracted by him."
Su Yuanzhen cautiously said. This incident has caused quite a stir, to the point where even Emperor Qing Huan was alarmed. After all, the former owner of the Genesis Star Palace is a terrifying existence that even the current Daoist Court must be careful with.
Emperor Qing Huan remained silent for a long time and sighed softly, "I take back what I said last time. In the future, it's better not to offend Qin Muling. With his existence, perhaps Long Yi can't handle it now."
Su Yuanzhen was slightly stunned, "But, isn't it a pity to miss such a heaven-defying opportunity? With him, the princess can achieve the Quasi-Saint Emperor Dao Fruit in the future, or even..."
"I also want that," Emperor Qing Huan's voice was filled with helplessness, "but the former owner of the Genesis Star Palace is just too terrifying. If it weren't for her, I would dare to bring Qin Muling over and make good use of him. But... the cause and effect are too great, and we can't get involved at all."
At this point, she was already about 60-70% certain that Qin Muling was the Innate Primordial Spirit Seed incarnate, or even 100% certain. All she needed to do was to conduct a thorough investigation on him.
However, considering the potential deterrence of that person, Emperor Qing Huan still dared not act rashly.
"Since we can't force it, can't we try to befriend him?" Su Yuanzhen asked. With the opportunity to achieve the Dao, they must fight for it for the princess, and well, also for themselves.
Emperor Qing Huan pondered and said, "Perhaps we can try, but we must be cautious. I hope this won't cause trouble in the future."
Su Yuanzhen breathed a sigh of relief and asked again, "If the two emperors ask, how should I reply to them?"
In terms of proficiency in the field of divination, Emperor Qing Huan is the best in the Daoist Court, surpassing the other two emperors. Therefore, in such matters, it is usually necessary to seek her opinion.
"Of course, we should try to keep it from them," Emperor Qing Huan smiled. The fewer people who know about this heaven-defying opportunity, the better. The benefits are enough for herself and her daughter, and they shouldn't give outsiders a chance to intervene.
(End of this chapter)