All eyes turned toward her, each person's expression entirely different.
There was shock, along with regret and confusion.
The severing of the ascension path was, for the Eighteen Immortal Sects and Tribulation Transcendence cultivators, a known fact to all.
Naturally, this "known to all" existed only among high-level cultivators.
Whether a low-realm cultivator could even climb to the Tribulation Transcendence realm in their lifetime was uncertain, and whether the ascension path was severed had nothing to do with ordinary folk.
Since the Great Tribulation, no cultivator had ascended.
Countless former prodigies along the way had all met their downfall.
Tracing back further, one could go to the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect's Supreme Elder who ascended to question the Heavenly Dao.
Once ascension became an end, everything became profoundly different.
This era was the era with the most Tribulation Transcendence cultivators.
For no other reason.
The pinnacle cultivators could live exceptionally long, yet could not ascend and depart.
Chu Xingchen had sometimes darkly speculated — the Heavenly Dao intentionally blocked ascension to intercept the Celestial Demons' return.
The true sons of heaven had all ascended, leaving behind only the lesser batch.
But no matter how one speculated, facts were facts.
Bai Xuanling's form stood in the air, purple qi and morning dew at the horizon, seven-colored divine light descending from the heavens.
The aura around her body grew ever more solid, and the already shattered earth began to tremble.
Dao essence surged and radiated from Bai Xuanling's body, transforming into specks of brilliant colored light — this was the legendary immortal-ascending radiance.
Xu Linglong gazed toward Bai Xuanling with uncertain, startled eyes.
The situation was extremely bizarre.
Both were Tribulation Transcendence Great Perfection cultivators. Though the Celestial Demons' cultivation methods differed somewhat from ordinary cultivators', the severance of the ascension path was equally clear.
The Great Dao couldn't just be half-fought and then suddenly healed, specially letting Bai Xuanling ascend.
Moreover, she now carried the Principle of Heaven within her and could sense the state of the Great Dao.
This could absolutely not happen.
So this ascension was no different from mere pondering.
The most likely possibility was that Bai Xuanling intended to ignore the Immortal Ascension Tribulation and stake her life in one final gamble.
But…
Was this even possible?
Xu Linglong's gaze swept across the other Celestial Demons, each signaling the others to be cautious.
The situation was unclear. If Bai Xuanling truly could break free from the tribulation's lock first and exchange lives with them, that would be a real loss.
Ascension was hopeless!
If Bai Xuanling was willing to use her life to buy time, why couldn't they wait a little longer?
After all, Bai Xuanling was already at Tribulation Transcendence Great Perfection. When the heavenly tribulation arrived, they wouldn't need to wait long to see the situation.
Once the heavenly tribulation came, whether it was a bluff or not would be immediately obvious.
The deployed crimson canopy of origin power contracted, shifting from offense to defense. Xu Linglong flipped and darted outward, and the other Celestial Demons made much the same move.
What remained were the Mahayana and Tribulation Transcendence cultivators, along with the massive demon races, to delay the major sect cultivators' pursuit.
Chu Xingchen also retreated some distance, his gaze solemn as he watched Bai Xuanling.
Though the system had said there was one chance of Tribulation Transcendence ascension, Chu Xingchen could not be certain whether Bai Xuanling's black attribute line would hinder the success probability of this ascension.
But there were no longer any choices.
Soon, behind the celestial radiance, an extremely deep and heavy wave of dao essence pressure coalesced from the horizon.
The heavenly tribulation was imminent.
Huang Miao's gaze also turned back, the emotions in his eyes difficult to read.
Amid everyone's gaze.
The seven-colored radiance around Bai Xuanling slowly drew inward. She raised her eyes, and the aura around her body resonated outward.
Unlike the deep, oppressive pressure of Tribulation Transcendence cultivators, Bai Xuanling's aura at this moment was close to the Dao itself.
The mere aura revealed by Bai Xuanling, who had not yet become an immortal, was already so awe-inspiring.
As expected…
Whether one became an immortal or not.
It was the difference between heaven and earth.
Qingming circled around Bai Xuanling, its sword intent singing long.
Dao essence from all directions gathered in streams of colored light, forming an auspicious cloud, with lightning flashing within this multicolored tribulation cloud.
Chu Xingchen looked up at the auspicious tribulation cloud that had gathered in the sky. It was entirely different from the churning dark clouds crackling with thunder he had imagined.
Perhaps ascension was inherently a complete rebirth, the true stepping onto the path of immortality.
The heavenly tribulation was also born of the Heavenly Dao. Rather, it was fitting that the tribulation held such a stature.
Bai Xuanling lifted her head to face it, the vague sense of a severed path that had lingered in her heart now gone.
What Chu Xingchen had said was true. As long as she passed this heavenly tribulation today, she might truly ascend by daylight. Though the location was wrong and the circumstances were wrong, in this situation there was no room to be picky.
Bai Xuanling gazed upward at the celestial dome, her expression utterly calm. As a cultivator, though she knew the path ahead was severed, she had naturally spent considerable effort researching it.
After all, who among those who had broken through to the Tribulation Transcendence realm hadn't once had the mindset of "heaven is second, I am first"?
"What severed ascension path — I'll carve my own."
Though she had lost this ambition after reaching Tribulation Transcendence Great Perfection, her research from back then had not diminished in the slightest.
The tribulation clouds accumulated, and the surrounding spiritual energy was scattered by the tribulation cloud's oppressive force.
Then a bolt of lightning flashed down.
A smile appeared on Bai Xuanling's face. She raised Qingming in her hand, pointing it straight at the heavenly tribulation.
Though there had been many changes.
She simply would not submit to this heaven.
She would do what she wanted to do.
An extremely blinding brilliance illuminated everything, reducing all to pure white, and no sound could be heard by anyone.
The divine sense in this area, thrown into chaos by the battle, was also entirely cleared away by the heavenly tribulation.
Beneath the heavenly lightning, even long-established Tribulation Transcendence cultivators could perceive nothing beyond their immediate surroundings.
Then came a shockwave of residual force so powerful it defied reason.
Chu Xingchen had thought he was far enough away, yet the residual force still sent him flying.
Wanban radiated light, shielding Chu Xingchen and preventing him from suffering any injury.
Truly worthy of being an ascension tribulation — even spectating wasn't much of an option.
The entire field of vision was blocked, leaving everyone unaware of Bai Xuanling's current situation.
However, as a veteran Tribulation Transcendence cultivator who had compressed her cultivation to the absolute limit, Bai Xuanling should be able to endure this level of tribulation.
After shielding Chu Xingchen, Wanban transformed back into its original brick-like form and began drifting through the residual power within the lightning tribulation, as if encountering an old acquaintance.
Chu Xingchen thought for a moment, feeling this wasn't safe enough. Watching Wanban drift about freely, he decisively contacted it through divine sense:
"You definitely know this heavenly tribulation, otherwise why would you be so happy? The tribulation's residual force was mostly shielded by you just now, and you understand the current situation. Either you go and reason with the heavenly tribulation out of old friendship, or you go right now and protect Sister Bai."
Wanban's drifting motion paused, but then it continued moving as if it hadn't heard.
Chu Xingchen narrowed his eyes and spoke in a threatening tone:
"You've been by my side this long — you should know my methods and know my temperament. We've had a good arrangement, and I'd say I haven't mistreated you. But if you keep playing these little games, don't blame me for making things difficult for you. After all this time, how could I not know? We're all working for the higher-ups. If there's a procedural error, that's an internal matter."
"If you drop the ball on me now… that's an attitude problem."
Wanban trembled for a moment, then finally transformed into the shape of a long sword and plunged into the white light.
Seeing this, Chu Xingchen let out a breath of relief.
Thankfully, this sword hadn't learned his cleverness. It had truly been bluffed.
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