Chapter 780: The Celestial Tribulation Transforms into an Emperor Spirit

Wan Jimie snorted. "It’s only normal for him to be this strong. Do you think he broke all those past taboos for nothing? The more dangers he faces and the more taboos he breaks, the more opportunities he’ll naturally obtain. And don’t be envious. If you survived a few life-or-death crises like that, you’d have plenty of epiphanies too!"

Que De was left speechless.

Wan Jimie added, "Your final Celestial Tribulation was the Hell Celestial Tribulation, but you gave up without a second thought and chose to face that lesser tribulation with me instead. Even though it was powerful, how could it possibly compare to a Hell Celestial Tribulation? If you had crossed the Hell Celestial Tribulation back then, you’d be far more powerful now!"

Que De shrugged. "Or maybe I would’ve been fried to a crisp, and by now I’d be pushing up daisies."

A muscle in Wan Jimie’s cheek twitched, but he remained silent.

Que De added sullenly, "You could have joined me back when I was facing my tribulation. How come you didn’t offer to face the Hell Celestial Tribulation with me?"

Wan Jimie’s mouth moved, but ultimately, he said nothing.

’Why? Don’t you fucking know why?’

’Is a Hell Celestial Tribulation something people like us are meant to survive?’

’Out of hundreds of millions of prodigies, how many have ever actually succeeded?’

As if he knew what Wan Jimie was thinking, Que De chuckled. "But Ye Tianling is Crossing the Tribulation right now."

Wan Jimie nearly spat blood. "You know that perfectly well, so why are you asking?"

Que De said, "It’s because I’m feeling down, okay? Getting constantly demoralized by this Ye Tianling is making me wonder if I’m just useless!"

Wan Jimie shot back, "So? Your solution is to drag me down with you? You want me to feel as useless as you do? Will that make you happy?"

...

Tribulation clouds shrouded the region, making the Emperor’s Burial Land seem to pulse with a strange, new vitality.

At first, Que De and Wan Jimie were simply awestruck.

But then, a terrifying thought seemed to strike both of them at once.

"Ye Tianling, don’t go through with it! Abort! Give up now, before the Celestial Tribulation fully forms! If you undergo your tribulation here, it will manifest an Emperor Spirit—it’ll bring forth the specter of a true Great Emperor!"

Que De suddenly jolted. It was as if a bolt of lightning had flashed through his mind; a terrible premonition struck him, allowing him to divine a horrifying possibility.

His resulting roar was like thunder shaking the heavens, its sharp, piercing cry echoing in every direction.

Hearing this, the color drained from Wan Jimie’s face as he stared in horror at the sky above.

His expression was also filled with anxiety and an unspeakable dread.

Ye Tianling, standing at the heart of the Thunder Tribulation, remained exceptionally calm.

He wasn’t the least bit surprised by Que De’s words. In fact, this was exactly what he had intended.

Once a Celestial Tribulation reached a certain level of power, it was bound to manifest even more terrifying Living Spirits to obstruct the challenger.

The Celestial Tribulation already possessed an independent will. It could be destroyed, or it could be forced into submission. This alone had made Ye Tianling understand that the Celestial Tribulation, the Celestial Dao, and indeed all things, possessed life.

It was just that this Life Form was different from those of the Ten Thousand Races.

To understand the nature of this life was to understand the purpose and methods behind the Celestial Tribulation’s trials.

"Don’t worry. As long as you two don’t get involved, everything will be fine. I will succeed. This is a rare opportunity, greater than any I might find elsewhere."

Ye Tianling said calmly.

He was carrying Yanyan’s body, had recently used one of his Abilities, and his Soul still bore the remnants of Yanyan’s aura.

Under such circumstances, it would be more surprising if his tribulation *didn’t* manifest a murderous Emperor Spirit.

The Emperor Spirit was a Great Emperor, but not one at the true Great Emperor Realm. It was a Young Emperor—a manifestation of a Great Emperor from their youth, at the same Realm as the challenger.

Invincibility within his Realm had always been Ye Tianling’s goal. And in the past, every Young Emperor had been invincible within their own Realm.

This was because in any given era, there could only be one true Great Emperor.

Great Emperor Thunder Inference King and Empress Bai Yin were, in fact, not from the same era.

Ye Tianling didn’t know the full story behind this, but he knew that every Young Emperor was a truly peerless powerhouse.

And indeed, when the Celestial Tribulation manifested a pillar of purple light that came crashing down, Ye Tianling met it head-on with his own physical body.

The tribulation lightning struck, yet Ye Tianling merely shuddered, emerging completely unscathed.

The first strike of the Hell Celestial Tribulation had landed, and this was the result. The sight left the horrified Que De and Wan Jimie utterly dumbfounded.

Whatever else they had been about to say was choked back by the terrifying sight.

The second strike of the Hell Celestial Tribulation began to manifest within the Celestial River surrounding Ye Tianling. It didn’t form into another bolt of lightning. Instead, it gathered all the Power of the Destruction Law, gradually condensing into a blood-red figure born of the Thunder Tribulation itself.

It was a person.

As the figure solidified, becoming almost tangible, Que De and Wan Jimie were completely frozen in shock.

A terrifying, majestic pressure emanated from it.

An aura of endless sorrow and desolate solitude washed over the area, stunning all who felt it.

Que De and Wan Jimie could no longer bear the pressure. They summoned all of their defensive treasures.

Even so, a chill ran through their bodies and souls.

"Ye Tianling—"

Que De called out, his voice trembling, hoping Ye Tianling wouldn’t be affected by the spiritual assault.

He still wanted Ye Tianling to give up, but it was already too late.

This was an Emperor Spirit formed by the Celestial Tribulation—a Young Emperor. Who this Great Emperor was went without saying.

It was the Emperor’s Path Thunder Inference King!

HISS—

Seeing the Celestial Tribulation coalesce into the thunderous Emperor Spirit, Ye Tianling didn’t hesitate. With a jolt of his bloodline, he channeled his Fist Intent into the Azure Dragon Fist and threw a devastating punch.

His Fist Intent was wreathed in golden Energy. A spectacular Phenomenon unfolded as a Dragon Soul Roar shook the heavens and a pillar of violet light shot to the sky.

With that single punch, the lightning in the Celestial River surged and the very Void seemed to collapse and shatter. The combined might of Ye Tianling’s Eight Great Ancient Divine Bodies erupted all at once.

His black hair whipped about as thunderbolts crashed around him, shaking the very heavens. His Blood Qi manifested a Dragon Soul, making him look as awe-inspiring as a peerless Divine Spirit.

The Emperor Spirit manifested from the tribulation showed no emotion at all. With an indifferent gaze, it watched the Azure Dragon Fist approach, then simply opened its mouth and inhaled.

HUMMM—

The terrifying Emperor’s Qi Dragon Swallowing Heaven Divine Technique manifested instantly. Ye Tianling’s punch had barely reached the Emperor Spirit before it was swallowed whole.

"The Emperor’s Qi Dragon Swallowing Heaven Divine Technique?!"

Ye Tianling’s pupils contracted in shock.

Not only had his attack been devoured, but the Emperor Spirit’s manifested Dragon Soul then sent a tremor through the Void, releasing an overwhelming feeling of desolation.

Ye Tianling shuddered violently, instantly falling prey to the attack.

BUZZ—

His mind went blank. Ye Tianling froze.

’It’s over!’

A chill shot through Ye Tianling’s heart. As he snapped back to his senses, he almost instinctively manifested his Netherworld Life and Death Dao Skill.

As the Cultivation Technique flared, his body dissolved into particles, instantly forming a void.

SWOOSH—

At that exact moment, the Emperor Spirit unleashed its Soul-Slaying Dao.