Translator: CinderTL
The Tribulation!
For over ninety percent of Primordial Spirit True Monarchs, it was a matter of life and death. Countless True Monarchs had been reduced to ashes by the Thunder Tribulation.
In theory, there were almost no bottlenecks in cultivation between First Tribulation and Ninth Tribulation True Monarchs. So why were there a hundred times more First and Second Tribulation True Monarchs than Ninth Tribulation True Monarchs?
The reason was simple: many True Monarchs, upon reaching the First or Second Tribulation, grew so terrified of the Thunder Tribulation's might that they abandoned further cultivation entirely.
Even those determined to advance had to pour every ounce of their focus into preparing for the Thunder Tribulation.
This was especially true for True Monarchs with above-average talent who refused to be outdone but couldn't quite reach the standards of true prodigies. For them, the rest of their lives after the Primordial Spirit stage became a relentless pursuit of surviving the Tribulation.
One day they'd study methods to withstand it, the next they'd practice techniques to evade lightning, and the day after they'd seek treasures to aid their tribulation crossing—never resting for a moment.
But for Sage-level prodigies, while the Thunder Tribulation was undeniably perilous, it also presented unparalleled opportunities.
They meticulously prepared for each tribulation, aiming to grasp the profound mysteries of the Laws of Heaven and Earth that manifested during the ordeal.
With each successful tribulation, their cultivation advanced significantly.
If this was true for Sage-level prodigies, it was even more so for Sixth-Rank True Monarchs qualified to ascend the Cosmic Light List.
For them, the Thunder Tribulation was no longer a calamity or crisis, but rather a precious opportunity for cultivation.
Just like Li Chunjun at this very moment!
Boom!
The Dao Rhythm surged, triggering violent celestial phenomena. Countless thunderbolts crisscrossed the storm clouds churned by this turbulent energy.
Beneath the Thunder Tribulation, Li Chunjun directly confronted the Laws of Heaven and Earth manifested from the surging Dao Rhythm.
Now that his Void Dao Body and Destruction Dao Body were complete, these fundamental principles lay before him like crystal-clear answers, instantly comprehensible.
As he continuously comprehended these "answers" and cross-referenced them with his own profound insights, his mastery of the Void Law and Destruction Law rapidly deepened.
The Void Law, which he focused on particularly, experienced astonishing growth, with noticeable progress in an instant.
110, 120, 140, 160, 200...
As the Thunder Tribulation gradually dissipated, Li Chunjun's understanding of the Void Law Mysteries skyrocketed from the original 108 to 216, doubling to the number associated with Li Hentian.
"Keep going!"
Li Chunjun's eyes flashed with anticipation.
His Void Heaven Flash Mystical Power had long since reached the Lesser Mastery stage. Though still only in its early-to-mid phase of Lesser Mastery, theoretically capable of triggering only four or five Thunder Tribulations, the progress of Law Mysteries and Mystical Powers were intrinsically linked. As Li Chunjun's comprehension of the Void Law and Destruction Law Mysteries deepened, his grasp of this Great Mystic Power naturally advanced as well.
With his Lifebound Flying Sword soaring into the heavens, the recently subsided Thunder Tribulation descended anew. In an instant, both the Void Law and Destruction Law experienced frenzied growth.
That day, the relentless Thunder Tribulation persisted through five rounds.
The spectacle stirred envy in the hearts of countless Primordial Spirit True Monarchs.
"A peerless prodigy! He treats the Thunder Tribulation as if it were nothing—that's the true mark of a peerless talent! Compared to such a prodigy, what are we, the so-called Heaven's Chosen in our respective sects?"
"Five tribulations in a single day! Truly astonishing! But considering the one undergoing them is Swordmaster Li Chunjun, it somehow feels inevitable."
"Each tribulation is like a major examination, using the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation to verify one's understanding of the Law Mysteries. Theoretically, to ensure a solid foundation, such trials should be spaced apart. Swordmaster Li has endured five consecutive tribulations... could his foundation be stretched too thin?"
Countless strands of Divine Sense converged around the Golden Crow Battleship and the Taixu Sword Sect below.
And the question of an insufficient foundation...
Li Chunjun was indeed facing that very issue.
Through his deepening comprehension of the Void Law and the Destruction Dao Mysteries, his Void Heaven Flash technique had naturally reached the Greater Mastery stage.
Theoretically, he could summon a sixth Thunder Tribulation and ascend to the rank of a Late-stage Primordial Spirit Seven Tribulation True Monarch.
But Li Chunjun paused.
While the Void Dao Body and Destruction Dao Body had granted him unparalleled speed in comprehending Law Mysteries, they couldn't magically reveal concepts he had never encountered.
In this situation, Li Chunjun paused, resisting the urge to immediately push himself to the level of a Seven Tribulation True Monarch.
After all, while his Lifebound Mystical Power had reached the Great Perfection realm, it still lacked the final refinement needed for true mastery.
Summoning the Seven Tribulations was his current limit.
Since he couldn't reach the Nine Tribulation True Monarch stage anyway, he decided to stop and consolidate his progress.
"The number of Void Mysteries has increased from 108 to 720, while Destruction Mysteries have grown to 520..."
Li Chunjun sensed the changes within himself.
The speed at which True Monarchs comprehended Law Mysteries varied greatly depending on their innate talent.
However, any prodigy with Sage-level talent would inevitably grasp all 1,024 mysteries; it was merely a matter of time.
This was why it was said that any Sage-level genius could achieve at least the Nine Tribulation True Monarch realm.
Li Chunjun's talent far surpassed that of a typical Sage-level prodigy, whose Life Level was roughly equivalent to 30.
Yet now, despite having reached the third level of the Mind Realm, his mastery of the primary Spatial Law Mysteries had only reached 720...
His Law comprehension and Mystical Powers were holding back his Mind Power.
If traditional True Monarchs learned of this, they would undoubtedly find it both amusing and frustrating.
After all, most True Monarchs first sought to cultivate their comprehension of the Laws to near perfection, endure the Ninth Tribulation, and maximize their Divine Sense before turning to Mind Power.
As the saying goes, "Sharpen your axe before chopping wood."
Li Chunjun, however, had completely reversed this order.
After successfully weathering his fifth tribulation and becoming a Six Tribulation True Monarch, Li Chunjun descended to the ground.
Huang Tian, Zuo Cheng, and the others who had been observing his tribulation immediately stepped forward, cupping their hands in respectful salutation. "Congratulations, Sword Master, on overcoming the Thunder Tribulation and achieving a significant advancement in your cultivation."
Li Chunjun nodded to the group. Time was pressing, and he wasted no time.
"The first batch of candidates has been selected?"
"Yes, they have," True Monarch Huang Tian replied, handing over a list.
Li Chunjun took the list and scanned it. To his surprise, two familiar names stood out: Qi Qian Yu and Wuying.
"Them?" A flicker of surprise crossed his mind. His powerful Divine Sense swept over the assembled cultivators.
He wasn't surprised that Qi Qian Yu had attained the Primordial Spirit Realm. The youth was a Quasi-Sage-level prodigy, comparable to Xuan Zhu and Xu Yu. Qi Qian Yu had deliberately lingered at Nascent Soul Perfection, intending to leverage the Thunder Tribulation to forge a solid foundation upon entering the Primordial Spirit Realm.
However, with Blue Star's descent into the Land of Buried Demons, many Nascent Soul True Lords had been powerless against the onslaught of Heart Demons.
Although Li Chunjun had swiftly purged the Heart Demons from the Azure Star Minor Realm, the sheer vulnerability of those True Lords—dying without even realizing how—had deeply shaken Qi Qian Yu.
Li Chunjun dared not linger in the Nascent Soul stage any longer. He swiftly weathered his Thunder Tribulation, advancing to the True Monarch realm. Within a mere six months, he endured two more tribulations, becoming a Three Tribulation True Monarch.
His foundation was undeniably profound.
As for Shadowless True Lord...
Li Chunjun activated his Divine Sense.
He discovered that not only Shadowless True Lord, but also Jiang Yuqiu, Qin Zhou, Jiang Yuxue, Zhao Yu Pan, Dong Xuan, and others under his care were rapidly advancing in cultivation.
This was because Primordial Spirit True Monarchs like Huang Tian and Zuo Cheng had taken them under their wing, personally guiding them from time to time.
The common thread among these individuals was their close relationship with him.
"Your efforts are appreciated," Li Chunjun remarked.
"Swordmaster Li, you flatter us," True Monarch Huang Tian replied sincerely, sensing the underlying meaning in Li Chunjun's words. "While you tirelessly led us out of the Land of Buried Demons and back to the Human Territory, shouldering countless responsibilities and traveling tirelessly, we desperately wished to share your burden. Alas, our meager strength offered no means to assist directly. We could only contribute in these minor ways..."
Li Chunjun nodded.
He saw no need to dissuade True Monarch Huang Tian and the others.
Though Golden Core cultivators like Qin Zhou, Jiang Yuxue, Zhang Weiqian, and Zhou Yuechen, along with later adherents like Zhao Yu Pan, Dong Xuan, and Liu Feng (Nascent Soul True Lords), could offer little practical help in the Land of Buried Demons, they remained his followers. He couldn't simply ignore their loyalty.
Huang Tian, Zuo Cheng, and the others took responsibility for guiding the cultivators' practice, which proved to be a satisfactory solution.
Both Huang Tian and Zuo Cheng were Nine Tribulation True Monarchs, making it effortless for them to instruct these cultivators, whose highest cultivation had only reached the Late-Stage Nascent Soul realm.
Moreover, Li Chunjun had been bringing in vast quantities of resources from the Wood Spirit Minor Thousand World, the Titan Lesser Thousand World, and subsequently the Jade Mound Minor Thousand World and the Hong Clan's Lesser Thousand World.
With the guidance of Nine Tribulation True Monarchs and unrestrained access to top-tier resources, their treatment likely surpassed even that of a Great Sect's True Inheritors.
Their rapid cultivation progress was therefore entirely understandable.
Yet even their progress paled in comparison to Jiang Wanyu's astonishing breakthrough.
She had already reached the Nascent Soul stage and was now at the Mid Nascent Soul realm.
Barely three years had passed since she first attained Golden Core!
To advance two major cultivation realms in just three years—even the Holy Sons and Sword Prodigies of Great Sects might struggle to match such a feat.
Li Chunjun's Divine Sense quietly lingered on her for a moment, but he made no move to communicate.
After fulfilling Jiang Wanyu's wish years ago, he had mentally prepared himself for a complete separation.
Since then, he had purged all distractions, focusing single-mindedly on rapid advancement and striving to reach the immortal realm.
Even now, his resolve remained unshaken.
"Flaming Phoenix Blood..." Li Chunjun murmured.
Jiang Wanyu's Flaming Phoenix Blood had astonishingly reached the Fourth Transformation! In terms of bloodline power, she had already become a true Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy. No wonder she had managed to reach the Mid Nascent Soul stage in just three years.
"I must also leverage the advantages of my Void Dao Body and the Great Void Kunpeng Art to further unlock the power of my Flaming Phoenix Blood. This will ensure I can quickly refine the Primordial Dao Rhythms of Gold Fusion and Eternal Light into the Scarlet Sky Sword, elevating it to the pinnacle of quasi-Dao Artifacts—just one step away from becoming a true Dao Artifact!"
Li Chunjun withdrew his Divine Sense and handed the roster to True Monarch Huang Tian. "These will do. I'll rest for a day. Have them report to the Golden Crow Battleship's Grand Cultivation Chamber the day after."
"As you command," True Monarch Huang Tian acknowledged.
Li Chunjun spent the day consolidating his cultivation, adapting to the changes brought about by the surge in his Divine Sense, and using his Mind Power to weaken the Heart Demon suppressed within his Spiritual World. Otherwise, if he were to test the fully manifested Heart Demon on these twenty-odd Primordial Spirit True Monarchs, none would stand a chance.
(End of the Chapter)
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