As time passed, the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower would naturally evolve into a Merit Spirit Treasure, eventually becoming a Supreme Merit Treasure. Even now, it already possessed the traits of a merit-based artifact—invulnerable to all evil, untouched by karmic retribution.
"Fully refine the Star Core. Advance, Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower!"
Yi Tianxing cast a deep look at the tower, then withdrew it into his body. As a Life-bound Supreme Treasure, it was more beneficial for the advancement to occur within his body. Although the tower had yet to reach the twelve thousand nine hundred and sixty li threshold, it was only a step away. Back then, he had deliberately preserved a portion of the Star Core's essence—obtained from the mysterious battlefield—precisely for a moment like this.
Now, that preparation proved essential. No one could predict what might happen during the tower's advancement.
RUMBLE!!
Inside the tower's chaotic world, the floating Star Core began shrinking visibly. At the same time, vast amounts of chaotic energy surged like ocean waves, one after another, as if boiling and roaring.
Massive power surged outward in tides, expanding rapidly.
In a blink, the chaotic world reached a size of 129 600 li. At that moment, the barrier between Small Chiliocosm and Middle Chiliocosm shattered in an instant—a breakthrough accumulated through time.
There was no such thing as an unbreakable barrier—only natural progression.
Almost instantly, the chaotic world expanded further to thirteen thousand li in diameter.
The Chaotic World advanced into a Middle Chiliocosm.
Simultaneously, massive chaotic energy poured outward, flowing into the other thirty-four inner tower worlds.
**Chaos—the Mother of All Things, the Root of Heaven and Earth—**was the origin of creation. For any world, this was an unparalleled source of nourishment.
With this infusion, the thirty-four Small Chiliocosms all shattered their limits, expanding beyond twelve thousand nine hundred and sixty li to thirteen thousand li, transforming rapidly.
As they advanced, each tower world's world origin underwent a profound transformation. The laws of heaven and earth within became more profound and mysterious. The sky higher, the earth thicker. Mountains, rivers, and landscapes formed instantly.
DING DING DING!!
At the same time, in every layer of the tower, one divine artifact emerged naturally from the void:
Gate of Space,
Death God's Fishing Rod,
Spiritual Treasure Mirror,
Heaven-Cleaving Sword,
Heaven-Breaking Spear,
Falling Star Bow,
Three-Light Gourd,
Heaven-Earth Coin Furnace,
Tree of Innocence,
Blood Bodhi of Ten Thousand Spirits,
Heart of the Earth,
Source of Water,
Eye of Wind,
Thunder Pool,
Heaven's Heart,
Mountain God Seal,
Flame Heart,
Swamp Heart,
Time Pocket Watch,
Ten Thousand Talisman Banner,
Nine Dragon War Chariot,
Celestial Roaming Talisman,
Jade Emperor's Brush,
Soul-Stirring Bell,
Creation Cube,
Dream Butterfly of Yunmeng,
Bodhi Seed,
Heavenly Firmament Bottle,
Yin-Yang Axe,
Seven-Kill Arrow Gourd,
Star-Shattering Hammer,
Xuanhuang Ruler,
Yin-Yang Bridge,
Six Paths Reincarnation Plate.
Thirty-four world artifacts manifested simultaneously.
Each hovered in its own inner world, radiating divine light. Streams of world origin energy continuously merged into them, causing the Innate Divine Restrictions of each treasure to rapidly evolve.
DING!
At that moment, the Heavenly Emperor Tower broke free from Yi Tianxing's body and soared into the sky, floating above the Imperial Palace.
In the void, countless tribulation clouds surged forth at unimaginable speed, their presence locking onto the tower with precision. The terrifying pressure swept down like a tidal wave.
The Imperial Palace was a sacred site, drawing countless reverent gazes daily. Citizens of Xuanhuang City often worshipped it to find peace and strength.
Now, such enormous tribulation clouds appearing above the palace immediately attracted mass attention.
"What's happening? Why is there a heavenly tribulation above the Imperial Palace? Is a noble there undergoing a breakthrough?"
"So strong! That pressure is terrifying—it feels like the whole world is about to collapse."
"Look! That tower—it's the Heavenly Emperor's Life-bound Treasure, the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower! Could it be... undergoing a heavenly tribulation to advance?"
All eyes turned skyward, astonished by what they saw, and even more curious.
What kind of treasure would trigger a heavenly tribulation upon advancement?
"This is the tribulation for becoming an Innate Spirit Treasure."Master Lu murmured as he gazed upward.
From what he knew, world artifacts could evolve into Innate Spirit Treasures, but had to pass a tribulation—a test of the heavens. Failure would lead to destruction, but success meant recognition from Heaven and Earth and a baptism of fortune.
Each artifact's tribulation was unique.
Innate Spirit Treasures were born of nature itself; but world artifacts had to be reborn through ordeal. Though some treasures could avoid it by concealing their aura, truly exceptional ones—like this tower—couldn't avoid heaven's gaze.
The more defiant the treasure, the more likely it drew divine scrutiny.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!!
The moment the tower appeared in the sky, golden thunderbolts rained down like blades, spears, and swords, crashing into it with violent roars.
The sonic shockwaves almost burst eardrums nearby.
But these thunderbolts failed to damage the tower—instead, they were swallowed whole. Inside the Thunder Pool world, the lightning was quickly absorbed, enhancing the pool's foundations.
A massive lightning dragon began forming within the pool, its body writhing with divine thunder, ancient lightning runes flickering all around.
The Thunder Pool evolved into an Innate Spirit Treasure.One layer of Innate Divine Restriction awakened.
More lightning poured in, quickly spawning more restrictions. The laws of lightning became complete and dominant within the tower.
But the tribulation wasn't over.
Next came howling gales, seemingly imbued with the essence of time, capable of grinding all into dust.
These were the Winds of the Four Seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—representing the cycle of life and decay.
These destructive winds were instantly swallowed by the tower and delivered into the Wind Eye world.
There, a massive eye of wind absorbed the seasonal winds, converting them into Wind Laws.
Gradually, the Wind Eye transformed.
WHOOSH!
Bathed in origin power and four seasonal winds, the Wind Eye became a small cloth pouch:
Wind Eye evolved into — Four Seasons Wind Seed Pouch.A transcendent evolution into an Innate Spirit Treasure.
The Wind Eye had originated from the Immortal Tomb, and now it completed its destined transformation.
Then came waves of heavenly fire, turning the sky into a sea of flames, followed by torrential rains—water and fire forming a bizarre harmony.
Inside the tower, many divine artifacts underwent similar ascension.
Those obtained from the Immortal Tomb saw the most dramatic changes:
The Flame Heart melted and reshaped in the fire sea, turning into a war flag wrapped in fire, with an ancient demonic figure roaring within.
Flame Heart evolved into — Zhurong Heavenly Fire Banner.
Heart of the Earth transformed into an enormous mountain with five-colored magnetism.
Earth Heart evolved into — Five-Colored Magnet Mountain.
Spring of Water evolved into the Sea-Calming Pearl.
Swamp Heart transformed into the Myriad Venoms Swamp Map.
Heaven's Heart transformed into the Will of Heaven Blade.
Other divine artifacts also ascended smoothly, becoming Innate Spirit Treasures under the baptism of origin power.
The Thunder Pool remained a Thunder Pool, and the Mountain God Seal remained as such—but now both stood among the ranks of true Innate Spirit Treasures.