Above Ascension Valley, the originally clear sky began to turn dark. Not black clouds, but a deeper, more oppressive energy gathering, stirring the heaven and earth spiritual energy within a thousand li radius, forming invisible vortexes. The air was filled with a heart-palpitating pressure, as if some supreme existence was awakening, scrutinizing the tiny individual below attempting to challenge the limits of life.
Within the valley, Tang Xiao Qi sat cross-legged at the center of the altar, eyes tightly closed, his entire body's aura like a volcano about to erupt, held back yet shaking the entire valley's restrictions. The Zhou Tian Star Spirit Protection Formation operated at full power, the starlight it drew down nearly solidified, wrapping him like a giant cocoon of light. Inside, energy surged and roared, undergoing the most crucial transformation—shattering the core to form the Nascent Soul!
Outside the valley, the atmosphere was grave to the extreme, yet united to the extreme.
Senior Brother Mu Qingfeng stood at the very front of all the guarding disciples, his posture straight as a pine, his face calm as water. He had long buried the Sect Master's entrustment deep in his heart. Now, his eyes held only the figure in the valley, only the firm conviction to guard the sect's future. His spiritual sense spread like the most precise net, covering every inch of space around Ascension Valley; no abnormal energy fluctuation could escape his perception. In his hand he tightly gripped an ancient token—the control hub for part of the mountain protection formation, ready at any moment to handle unexpected situations.
Third Senior Sister Liu Yun stood quietly at a position slightly behind Senior Brother, dressed in white, an ancient sword on her back. Her lovely face was cold as frost, her eyes sharp as a falcon's, scanning the surroundings. The Enforcement Hall's elite disciples formed a sword formation behind her, their sword qi stern and cold, joining together, their killing intent shooting straight to the heavens. She spoke little, but everyone knew that if any external enemy dared to intrude at this moment, they would face her most ruthless and cold thunder sword strike.
Second Senior Brother Luo Feng did not stand at the very front; he sat at a temporary ritual platform set up at the rear. The platform held various spiritually glowing instruments and materials, some connected to the earth veins, some aimed at the sky. His face was somewhat pale, sweat visible at his temples. Clearly, maintaining these auxiliary instruments was a considerable burden, but his eyes were focused, his hands rapidly adjusting several formation disks, muttering continuously: "Earth fire spirit vein stable... spirit gathering talisman formation output peak... early warning restriction sensitivity adjust up another three percent... damn it, why is this 'Sky-Gazing Mirror' fragment lagging again at a critical moment..." Though his cultivation was not what it once was, relying on unmatched ingenuity and profound understanding of magical tools and formations, he had built the most important early warning and auxiliary barrier in the protection system.
Zhao Tiezhu was like an iron tower, leading the body cultivation academy's most ferocious disciples, guarding the outermost mountain pass entrance. They did not control glamorous magical tools but stood bare-chested, their muscular bodies like cast steel and iron, silently standing there, their qi and blood power connecting together like an invisible wall of copper and iron. Anyone wanting to forcefully enter this place would have to step over their bodies first. Zhao Tiezhu tightly clenched his fists, his eyes deadlocked on the Ascension Valley direction, only one thought in his mind: "No one is going to disturb my brother's breakthrough!"
More surprisingly, a graceful silver figure quietly appeared at the rear of the guarding crowd. She still wore that half silver mask on her face, her eyes complex as she gazed at Ascension Valley—it was Auntie Su. After receiving the news, she immediately set aside all matters in her hands and rushed back to Qingxu Temple at the fastest speed. She did not step forward to speak with Mu Qingfeng and others, but chose an inconspicuous corner, silently releasing her Nascent Soul stage aura, merging into the protection formation, becoming yet another solid line of defense. Her arrival was silent, yet carried immense weight.
Not just them, the entire Qingxu Temple at this moment seemed to have twisted into one rope.
Elders of each peak led their disciples, standing guard at various formation nodes according to pre-planned positions, pouring their spiritual power without reservation into the mountain protection formation, making its light increasingly brilliant. Alchemy Hall disciples had the best recovery pills and calming incense ready, able to support at any time; Talisman Hall disciples distributed high-grade defense talismans and evil-breaking talismans to disciples at key positions; Spirit Beast Garden disciples also drove docile spirit beasts to assist in patrol and alert...
Even those outer sect and servant disciples with shallow cultivation, though unable to directly participate in core protection, spontaneously gathered at their residences or the square, burning incense and praying, silently blessing their "Tang Sect Uncle,""Tang Sect Uncle Ancestor." The entire Qingxu Temple, from peak top to mountain foot, was permeated with a solemn and expectant atmosphere. Everyone understood that the one in the valley was attacking not just a personal realm, but Qingxu Temple's fortune for the next thousand years!
"Look! Tribulation clouds are starting to condense!" someone exclaimed.
They saw the sky directly above Ascension Valley where the oppressive energy finally began to materialize. Black cloud layers surged from nothingness—not ordinary rain clouds, but with lightning snakes darting wildly within, thunder light flickering, mixed with a soul-shaking destructive aura. The Nascent Soul heavenly tribulation was about to descend!
Everyone's heart rose to their throat.
Senior Brother Mu Qingfeng took a deep breath, his voice spreading in all directions through the formation: "Everyone in position, maintain alert! The heavenly tribulation is coming, external demons easily invade, guard against villains! Everything, for Little Junior Brother! For Qingxu Temple!"
"For Little Junior Brother! For Qingxu Temple!"
A mountain-and-sea-like response rose up, converging into a magnificent force of conviction, merging with the Zhou Tian Star Formation's light, as if transforming into an invisible spiritual barrier, guarding the figure in the valley who was contending with fate.
Third Senior Sister's sword hummed continuously; Second Senior Brother sped up his adjustments; Zhao Tiezhu's muscles bulged, his qi and blood rising like wolf smoke; Auntie Su's eyes beneath the mask grew increasingly grave; all Qingxu Temple disciples, regardless of cultivation level, at this moment held their breath, clenched their fists.
United in one heart, only to protect him through this tribulation!
Within Ascension Valley, Tang Xiao Qi, sitting upright within the cocoon of light, seemed to sense the countless gazes converging from outside the valley, filled with worry, encouragement, and firm conviction. His tightly closed eyelashes trembled slightly, and the corner of his mouth seemed to curve upward in a barely perceptible, reassuring arc.
He was never alone.
In the next moment, he completely released the restraint on the magnificent energy within his dantian that had reached the critical point.
"Crack—"
A clear, cracking sound from the deepest source of life itself came from within his body.
The shattering of the core, began!
At the same time, outside the valley, the long-brewing Nascent Soul heavenly tribulation, as if provoked, let out a thunderous boom that shook heaven and earth!
The first tribulation lightning tore through the firmament, carrying majestic heavenly might, fiercely striking down!